TheCable

Osagie Ehanire, minister of state for health, says the federal government will deploy 120 health personnel along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

The health personnel will man emergency facilities during the period the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja will be closed, the minister said.

The Abuja airport will be closed from Wednesday to enable repairs on the runway. The federal government chose the Kaduna airport as an alternative.

Speaking on Saturday when he visited Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, the minister urged the state government to refurbish the Doka general hospital and other primary health care centres along the road as first responders to emergency cases.

He said the federal government in collaboration with other stakeholders will provide ambulances, which will be operational along Abuja-Kaduna highway.

“We have observed that blood transfusion centre has been down due to lack of power. We therefore need assistance of the state government to put up generator to provide 24- hour power supply, consumables for primary healthcare centres to take care of fractures, wounds and fuel where there is no fuel,” Ehanire said.

“We are seeing this as pilot project. We want it to continue, to give emergency response to Nigerian road users, even after the relocation of the international airport back to Abuja.

“We want to give, fast, competent and physical response to road users in need of it along major roads, such Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja, Abuja-Lafia, Lagos-Ibadan and others.”

On his part, el-Rufai said the Doka general hospital has been earmarked for an upgrade as a trauma centre.