NEDC Donates Special Medical Equipment to 7 Division Nigeria Army Hospital

Also hands over newly built Center For Study Of Violence Extremism to UNIMAID

By Abdulkareem Haruna

The Northeast Development Commission had on Wednesday, July 20, donated state of the earth medical gadgets to the 7Division Nigerian Army hospital in Maiduguri, Borno state. 

The top-notch medical equipment which consists of a Full Auto Chemistry Analyzer, Vortex Mixer, Spectrophotometer, Hematology Analyzer, and X-Ray Machine were handed over to the Nigerian army officials at the Maimalari Cantonment barrack by the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, who was represented by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo.

The Managing Director of NEDC, Mohammed Alkali, explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to donate the equipment in appreciation of the kind of sacrifices they have made in managing the insecurity in the subregion. 

The donated electrolyte analyzer, according to the NEDC MD  is a device for quick and accurate measurements of the electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and chloride for timely diagnosis of diseases.

While the full auto chemistry analyzer is used for conducting diagnostic assays to analyze albumin, creatinine, glucose, evaluation of thyroid function lipid and a host of other bodily chemistry analyses.

The Spectrophotometers are analytical instruments used in clinical laboratories for quick and accurate measurements of analytes, both quantitatively and qualitatively as other parameters on a routine use.

The Vortex Mixer is a piece of laboratory equipment that is used in the rapid and simultaneous mixing of multiple samples for precision and ensuring homogeneous suspensions.

The 5-part Hematology Analyzer is used to rapidly analyze whole blood specimens for complete blood count for comprehensive clinical assessments.

The Analog X-Ray Machine is a direct digital imaging machine used to produce images of the body to diagnose structural abnormalities.

The MD said the NEDC hopes the donated medical equipment would go a long way in improving the well-being of wounded troops and their family members in need of medical support. 

The Theater Commander Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Chris Musa, thanked the NEDC for the intervention even as he noted that the equipment will go a long way in helping the troops and their families’ healthcare needs.

He said the equipment, when installed and become operational would reduce the troops’ medical trips to as far as Kaduna for specialized treatment.

The equipment was officially handed to the officials at the hospital by the Permanentnent Secretary ministry of humanitarian affairs, Nasir Gwarzo, who is also a medical doctor. 

The Minister’s rep said he was elated at the sight of high-quality medical equipment even as he promised that if fully put into use to the benefit of the troops and the people of Borno state more donations would be brought to the hospital.

“As a medical doctor what I see happening here touches my heart; believe me if you make the best use of them, they will save lives,” the perm sec said. 

“What you as the military is doing here is not only saving lives and shaping development here in the northeast, it also has a direct impact on the entire country. 

The highlight of the event was the official handing of the equipment and a tour of the hospital wards where the guests met with some of the wounded but recuperating soldiers. 

The Minister and other guests from the National Assembly were later led by the management of the NEDC to the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Maiduguri where a 500kva generator was officially donated; then the Maiduguri Flour Mill where NEDC provided major support for the mill to bounce back to production after over a decade; then the visitors moved to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, where a donation of 200 units of Hospital Beds and accessories were presented to the Chief Medical Director. 

Finally on the day-1 of the unveiling of intervention projects, the Minister was led to the University of Maiduguri campus where the new Center for the Study of (causes) of Violent Extremism, which started in September 2021, was commissioned. 

At the Center, NEDC presented a cheque of N48 million to the Vice Chancellor University of Maiduguri, Professor Shugaba, to support the Cancer Research project at the  Department of Pharmacology, University of Maiduguri.