The Niger State Government has approved the reconstruction of the General Hospital in Tunga Magajiya, Rijau Local Government Area of the state.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Makusidi disclosed this while briefing the press at the Government House, Minna.
The Commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Gana said the hospital, which has been in existence since 1949, has been in a dilapidated condition and needed urgent attention.
“Since the establishment of the hospital in 1949, no major work has been done on the structure. So the state government had deemed it fit to reconstruct the hospital”, he was quoted as saying in a Government House statement.
He said, initially, the project was to gulp N1.3 billion but following series of deliberations it was scaled down to N838 million.
The Permanent Secretary said the project will be done in phases, explaining that the 1st phase will gulp N219 million, 2nd phase, N236 million and the 3rd phase N206 million respectively.
He disclosed that the facility is a 150-bed space and the work will be done via contract financing and, if satisfactory, the contractor will be paid 60% and the remaining payment done after the completion of the project.
According to him, the scope of work will include the construction, furnishing and equipping of the facility.
He stated that the facility will have an administrative block, male and female ward, male and female surgical ward, borehole, overhead tank, perimeter fencing, children ward, laboratory, pharmacy, theatre, restaurant, laundry, walkways, parking lots and drainage system adding that the furnishing will be done at the same time.
Dr. Gana who said funds have been appropriated in the 2021 budget and will roll over to 2022, said the project is expected to be completed within 9 months.