The Albino Foundation Public Notice

By Our Reporter

The Kano State Government yesterday asked the management of Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital in Kano to cease provision of services, after almost three years of operation.

It came after the hospital’s management company, Northfield Health Services, received a court injunction to evacuate in eight days.

The hospital is to be taken over by the Kano State Ultramodern Hospital Board, it has been learnt.

The evacuation notice comes despite a six-year contract signed with Northfield by the Kano government.

A staff of the hospital yesterday said that the court injunction was delivered on Monday asking the management to leave in eight days.

He said systems were cut off—“everything needed to manage patients in the ward was shut down, patients in the ward cannot get care.

“As a government, you cannot cut resources to save people’s lives,” he added.

Another hospital staff confirmed the shutdown and said work was on managing patients at present.

“One cannot do otherwise. You are aware of the court orders. One has to just comply,” one of staff who spoke on conditions of anonymity said.

“We are trying to discharge those who are fit. Those that are not fit, we are just trying to manage them for the time being.

“Our patients in the ward are being taken care of, pending when things  are sorted  with those who are going to take over.

A top-ranking official said demanding handover of management and facilities of the hospital to KUSH board is in breach of the six-year contract signed with Northfield.

Northfield is challenging the move, but it is uncertain how that plays out within the eight-day period.

“Our legal team is working to see what is obtainable, the matter is before the court.

“We cannot make logical comments until we run that course,” the official said.

Some insiders have declined to speak openly about the implications of the evacuation order, citing Kano’s polarisation along party lines and camps.

Sources revealed that the order is a political move by the Kano governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to secure stronger control of the hospital.

“His term ends in two years and the contract will outlive him, and he can’t do anything about it if he doesn’t make a move now.”

Calls put through to Kano health commissioner Aminu Tsanyawa to comment on the closure timed out without response from Tuesday evening till Wednesday morning.