Karu Customs hospital, the most equipped in Nigeria – el-Rufai

Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state has described the new Customs Hospital in Karu, FCT, as the most equipped medical facility in the country.

el-Rufai stated this while inaugurating the Nigeria Customs Service ultra-modern hospital complex in Karu on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the best way to put the hospital to use was to affiliate with a university and make it a teaching hospital.

el-Rufai said “for this kind of hospital to be a reality, it can only take a good leadership that has focus and commitment.

“Looking at this facility I was taken aback by the size and level of equipment, and the organisation of the facilities, it is an impressive teaching hospital.

“The best way to put this edifice to use is to affiliate with a university and make it a teaching hospital.

“It is the most well equipped hospital I have seen in Nigeria and it is as equipped as any hospital I have seen in the world and I think the Nigeria Customs Service should be commended with this effort.

“It is not the money because there are many organisations in Nigeria that have the money to do this but they lack the leadership, the focus and the commitment,’’ said el-Rufai.

The governor added that to achieve such a huge success was all about focus and determination.

He congratulated the outgoing Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Dikko Abdullahi, and the Nigeria Customs Service for the efforts put to achieve this success.

“This hospital perhaps is the best hospital in FCT and Nigeria. In Kaduna state we will aspire to do this and even more than this if resources permit,’’ he added.

Earlier, Abdullahi said that the hospital would not only carter for the needs of customs officers and families but the entire community in FCT.

“This edifice is the second phase of our medical centre which had been delivering quality healthcare services to officers, their families and the community.

“This facility will also serve as a reference hospital for the entire FCT community,’’ Abdullahi said.

He appreciated all those that contributed to the success of the project.

The Medical Director of the hospital, Karu, Dr David Nandap, said that the facility has 80-bed capacity to serve the health needs of its personnel and the community.

“ The Comptroller General has a vision to build it to a world class structure that will meet the healthcare of the service because he believes only healthy and fit officers and men can drive the vision of Nigeria Customs.

“The hospital has practically everything that any hospital, including tertiary care hospital, may wish to have in terms of scope of facilities and services.

“The hospital has a comprehensive diagnosis facilities, radiology, chemical laboratory endoscope, Scanner and laparoscope.

“And well equipped modern external and emergency that will provide immediate care, basic emergency and critical care, including intensive care for the hospital,’’ Nandap said.

He said the hospital was equipped with two standard modular operating theatres for multi-specialty surgeries and additional day care theatre, intensive care unit and modern central sterilisation supply department.

He said the theatres and the ICU would be provided with central medical gas and vacuum systems while the clinical laboratory was capable of carrying out comprehensive range of laboratory investigations.

The medical director said that the radiology and imaging department was equipped with high resolution and permanent magnet MRI machine.

Nandap said that the hospital had maternal and child health, infant care equipment, intercom service, fire alarm, close circuit television system and a modern mortuary, among others.