The Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna Audu has been sacked over a reported allegations of misappropriation of funds.

The sacked commissioner was among the first commissioner appointed by the state governor, Alhaji Hahaha Bello during his first tenure.

He was retained during the present second tenure of the governor.

According to reliable sources in the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Saka packed out of his office on Tuesday, even as his sympathisers had reportedly pleaded on his behalf that his sack should not be made public by the Governor.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that he told some of his colleagues that he was only suspended.

In efforts to reach him for comments, it appeared that his contact may have been affected by the ban on phone numbers not verified by the National Identification Number, even as he has not responded to text message from our correspondent.

Dr. Saka was in his second term as Commissioner for Health under Governor Bello before he was relieved of his appointment. However all effort to speak with Kogi state Commissioner for Information and Publicity, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo on the development proved abortive.

Source: Kogi Flame https://kogiflame.com/2022/04/14/dr-saka-audu-sack-as-commissioner-for-health-in-kogi/

The Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna Audu, on Thursday restated the determination of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, to reposition the state health sector for quality healthcare delivery for the people of the state.

The commissioner gave the assurance when he led a team on an inspection tour to the sites of the ongoing construction works at New Ultra Modern General Eganyi in Ajaokuta and the Central Reference Hospital, Okene Local Governments Areas.

Audu expressed satisfaction with the level of work done by the contractors handling the world class Reference Hospital, saying, ”we are very impressed with what we have seen on site today.

”We have visited Ajaokuta, and we are now in Okene to access the work being done in the Reference Hospital, and I can tell you categorically that we are satisfied with the level of work being done here.

”As you can see, this is a magnificent structure, and it is not just about the civil work, we have already commenced the deployment of the medical equipment”.

He emphasised that many of the medical equipment will be the first of its kind in Nigeria, which would be supplied by Neusoft Medical Systems company.

”By the special grace of God by the time this facility is fully completed and operational, you will see for yourself that it will be reference point for Nigeria.

”We are creating a hub for healthcare in Kogi State in the Centre, and it is going to be a hub of some sort, because what we have here is technically different to what is obtainable elsewhere in the country.

”Some of the equipment will emerge the first in the country. For example, we are bringing Oxygen Therapy Centre for us here, and there is no centre of such in Nigeria.

”All arrangements had been completed and soon, the equipment will be installed”, he said.

He added that the government would also be deploying CARD-LAB to the hospital where people with Cardiac problems could be managed in real time, insisting that there was no such centre currently in Nigeria.

”So, I can tell you categorically that the Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, is determined to reposition not just Kogi State Health sector but also Nigeria’s health sector.

”We are proud of him and the people of Kogi should appreciate the kind gesture from the governor”, Audu said.

The commissioner added that the state government is also replicating the project in five other centres across the state.

”’This is massive, Kogi State health sector has never witnessed this kind of development; this is the first of its kind.

”We pray that the Almighty God continue to bless and protect our governor for his love for the people of Kogi State.

He, therefore urged the host communities to support the projects to ensure that they cooperate with the contractors as they have been very exemplary in their disposition to the ongoing construction work.

The commissioner enjoined the people to continue to cooperate with the contractors so as not to exceed the projected completion time.

Also speaking, Mr Hani Saade, General Manager of African Business Unit, Neusoft Medical Systems, thanked the Governor and the Commissioner for enabling the company to partner with Kogi State Government for the supplying of Medical Imaging products to the Reference Hospital.

”We will be hopefully supplying the latest technology; State of Art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Unit, and Slice CT Scan that will position the centre among the best in the area of CT-scanning possibilities in the country.

According to Saade, the CT Scan has the potential and capacity to do specific advance scannings including advanced Digital X-Ray System Mammography and Ultrasound units.

Saade commended the Governor on his approach on the supply of the equipment by initiating a very long term warranty plan of two to five years in order to make sure that the systems are well in place and always functional for the rest of the contract period which is 60 months.

He further commended the state government for partnership in local capacity building by allowing the company to train local people to be able to also service those units on sight and not only the company or the manufacturers.

”This is, in my opinion the best and a leading approach globally in the supply of medical equipment which we must comply with; we will do it openly and very happily.

”Hopefully, in the next three to four months our systems would be up and running in this hospital and the local population will take advantage of those advance medical imaging equipment that Kogi Government is planning to to install here”, Saade said.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Matters, Pharm. Clement Amedu, commended the governor for embarking on people based projects at the grassroots, and called for prayer for him to sustain the gesture.

On her parts, Mrs Rose Iyioma, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Kogi Ministry of Health, commended the governor and the commissioner for the execution of the gigantic projects for the benefits of the people.

Dr Onoja Ibrahim, the Managing Director, od the Central Reference Hospital, thanked the governor for the gesture, saying it is a ‘time enduring legacy’ for the benefits of the people of Kogi central, the state and Nigeria at large.

End

The Kogi State Government has inaugurated the State Research Team, to monitor and investigate the effect, adverse reactions and level of tolerance of COVID-19 Vaccine.

The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna Audu, who inaugurated the research team shortly after the flag-off of COVID-19 vaccination in Lokoja, said the team would carry out research on some few areas of attention regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Audu noted that the team members, who are specialists drawn from various profession in the health sector, would investigate reasons why Kogi State had been relatively spared from the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that the team would also monitor the utilisation of COVID-19 vaccines while also looking at the adverse reactions that might follow the vaccination exercise, and come up with a report on that.

According to him, even though there is Federal agency that is already doing that, but for us as a state, health is on the concurrent list, and it is part of our resolves to ensure that the people of Kogi are safe and their well-being is paramount to us.

The Commissioner added that the other area where the team would work on, was the usefulness of the Hydroxyl Chloroquine, Zinc and the Mectizan, and make recommendations that could positively affect Kogi State.

He stressed that the State had been very proactive, and was the first state to bring a novel idea on the COVID-19 Self Assessment App, and also demonstrated the usefulness of Rapid Test Kits for quick assessment.

He added that Kogi had rejected those imported foreign strategies that do not work in Nigeria’s terrain, which could had imprisoned Kogi people such as the lockdown and restrictions of economic activities, among others.

”These are areas where Kogi has really excelled. Kogi has been on top of the situation as far as the prevention and control of COVID-19 is concerned.

”We are also leading in terms of health infrastructural development so that we can cope with any outbreak in the process.

”We are building two massive Infectious Disease Hospitals; one in Ajaokuta and the other one in Kogi LGA. We have Ultra Modern Referral Centre that is arguably the best hospital in Nigeria, which is in the making.

”We have the Reference hospital in Okene. We are also revamping the existing health facilities, like the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, Zonal Hospital Idah, Teaching Hospital Anyigba, and the General Hospital Isanlu.

”This is what we are doing in the health sector not forgetting our highly impactful healthcare programmes like Bello Care, Healthcare Plus, and the Renewed mission in the State Health Insurance Agency”, he said.

The Commissioner emphasized that the state was doing a lot in implementing the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund of the Federal Government ,and was expanding the reach.

He added: ”Kogi State is contributing beyond the 25 per cent mark specified by the FG so that the project can be accessed by more of our people.

”Our intension is to accelerate our match towards attainment of the Universal Health Coverage in Kogi State and by extension Nigeria”.

End