Senate Approves New Teaching Hospitals for Kaduna and Benue

(Senate in session. Photo Credit: Daily Nigeria)

The Senate on Wednesday passed two bills that will set up teaching hospitals in Kachia, Kaduna State, and Otukpo, Benue State.

The move is aimed at easing the shortage of medical staff and improving healthcare in both states.

The bills were passed after the Senate considered a report from its Committee on Health, Secondary and Tertiary Education.

Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, presented the report on behalf of the committee chairman, Senator Banigo Ipalibo Harry, representing Rivers West.

The first bill covers the Federal University of Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital in Kachia, Kaduna.

The second covers the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Otukpo, Benue.

Each bill amends the First Schedule of the principal Act to give the hospital a firm legal base.

Ningi said the committee studied both bills closely.

It consulted legal drafting experts and went through each clause one by one before recommending them.

Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, representing Benue South, backed the report and supported the plan to set up the hospitals.

The Senate then turned itself into the Committee of the Whole to go through the bills clause by clause.

Lawmakers approved the relevant clauses as recommended and passed both bills.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised the committee for its work.

He said the laws will improve healthcare delivery, especially in the states where the hospitals will be built.