By Kingsley Fanwo

Residents of Kabba and Obangede in Kogi West and Central senatorial districts, respectively, have hailed the return of their general hospitals to specialist status by Governor Idris Wada.

According to them, the decision will ensure first-class medical services are given to the people.

It would be recalled that the two hospitals lost their specialist status during the tenure of Prince Abubakar Audu, in what many regarded as political victimization.

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, signed by Emmanuel Boro, the governor said he decided to return the hospitals’ specialist status to make them perform optimally.

The statement assured the people of government’s commitment to meeting their health needs, saying efforts were on to ensure the supply of equipment for the hospitals to function optimally.

When fully equipped, the two hospitals are expected to major in surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology, radiology, sonography and laboratory medicine.

The governor also directed that appropriate manpower be engaged and deployed to the specialist hospitals.

Reacting to the gesture of government on Kabba Specialist Hospital, the Obaro of Kabba and Chairman, Okun Traditional Council, HRM Oba Michael Olabayo, hailed the initiative as a “historic move that will help to deliver excellent healthcare services not only to the people of Kabba, but also the entire Okun nation.”

Also speaking to Vanguard, a former Medical Director of the old Kabba Specialist Hospital, Dr. Abayomi Medubi, said government’s decision was in the best interest of the people.