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Sokoto now has 21 general hospitals, 824 health centres – Govt
The Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Faruk Abubakar, has announced a major revival of the state’s health sector, revealing that Sokoto now has 21 functional general hospitals and 824 primary health centres across its 23 local government areas.
Describing the transformation as a “rescue from the Intensive Care Unit,” Abubakar credited the rapid progress to the leadership of Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, whose administration he said inherited a crumbling healthcare system riddled with obsolete equipment, broken infrastructure, and years of neglect.
“When Governor Ahmad Aliyu assumed office, the health system was in critical condition, hospitals had torn mattresses, broken beds, and outdated tools,” the commissioner said during a media briefing in Sokoto.
Abubakar, a veteran health administrator and former CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, while addressing newsmen on Monday, said the governor’s swift intervention through his 9-Point SMART Agenda has brought urgent relief and long-term reforms to the sector.
He revealed that nine ultrasound machines have been procured and distributed to general hospitals across the three senatorial districts, along with X-ray machines allocated to each geopolitical zone, significantly reducing the need for patients to travel to Sokoto metropolis for diagnostic services.
In addition, ten general hospitals are currently undergoing phased rehabilitation, while the government is fast-tracking the completion of two abandoned hospitals in Dange Shuni and Wamakko local governments.
“All general hospitals are now being equipped with new beds, incubators, reliable water systems, and solar-powered electricity to ensure 24-hour service delivery,” Abubakar added.
Beyond secondary healthcare, the state has 824 primary health facilities, at least one in each of the 240 political wards, consisting of primary health centres, clinics, and health posts, making basic medical care accessible at the grassroots.
The commissioner further disclosed that plans are underway to establish a world-class hospital in Sokoto, in line with the state’s strategic push to reduce medical tourism and provide comprehensive healthcare within its borders.
“This administration is not just reacting; it is planning and executing a sustainable roadmap for the future.
“Our needs assessment exposed critical gaps, and we are addressing them at all levels, primary, secondary, and tertiary,” he said.
He emphasised the government’s “twin-pronged” strategy that focuses on both curative and preventive healthcare, aimed at improving the state’s overall health indices.
“With the reforms we’ve implemented so far, we are no longer in emergency mode.
“We are building a resilient health system that works for the people,” the commissioner concluded.
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