Jigawa State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has given its support for the proposed bill before the Senate for the Establishment of Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Hadejia.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed on behalf of the association through its Spokesman, Shamsu Gujungu.

Gujungu, a Publicity Secretary of State NMA and Chairman of the NMA Kidney Action Committee, delivered a compelling address before the Senate during the two-day Public Hearing on the floor of the Senate in Abuja and emphasized the urgent need for a Federal Medical Center in Hadejia.

The Bill was initiated and sponsored by a Senator representing the Jigawa Northeast Constituency, Abdulhameed Ahmad Malam Madori.

Highlighting the overwhelming healthcare burden in the Northeast Senatorial Zone of Jigawa state where Hadejia General Hospital, built in the late 1960s and managed by few medical officers without consultants, remains the only major secondary center for the region and neighboring parts of Yobe State.

According to him, the proposed siting of FMC Hadejia is timely and a welcome development as it will address the healthcare divide, in combating the rising chronic diseases bedevilling Hadejia vicinity and beyond.

Apart from equipping the centre with professional consultants, enough medication and teaching facilities in offering special health medical treatments, the centre, when established, will serve as a research hub.

During the presentation, both members of the Association headed by the Chairman Abdulbaseed Umar and Muhammad Kasim (Chairman, Young Doctors Forum), supported this initiative, stressing the establishment of FMC Hadejia is a matter of urgency due to the significant importance attached to its establishment.

While submitting a detailed Memorandum to the Senate Committee on Health, NMA emphasized that Hadejia has the highest burden of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Nigeria, yet lacks a tertiary facility to provide nephrology care, research and advanced medical interventions.

To show further support for the project, the Jigawa State Government has shown commitment to leasing a newly built hospital structure in Hadejia (which was originally planned as a specialist hospital) to be used as FMC Hadejia, thus removing infrastructural barriers.

In their collective remarks, the NMA Jigawa delegation thanked the senator for his foresight and prioritizing the health of Jigawa State while calling on the Senate to expedite the passage of the bill, stressing that with ready-to-use infrastructure in place, this project is no longer about “how” but “when” it will take off.

NMA also expressed gratitude to the Senate for its commitment to improving healthcare across Nigeria and pledged full support in ensuring the realization of this viable projects for its full pledged reality.