FCTA to build centre against infectious diseases

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to build a specialised centre where patients with highly-infectious diseases in the territory will be quarantined and given adequate treatment.

The administration said it was also currently partnering some private individuals to set up new hospitals in the FCT in order to shore up the number of hospital bed spaces in the territory.

FCT Minister, Musa Bello, while exchanging views with members of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), FCT chapter, led by its chairman, Dr Chiedozie Achonwa, said that the issue of inadequate bed spaces in Abuja was something of great concern to him.

He said, “For a long time, the issue of inadequate bed spaces in the FCT has really been something of great concern to me. Based on the briefings I got from the Health & Human Services Secretariat when I assumed office, I was amazed by the numbers I saw in terms of available bed spaces and since then, we have encouraged many private sector people that want to set up hospitals to come over and do so because government alone will not be able to bridge this huge gap

“Also, I have impressed it upon owners of one or two of the hospital projects that you have seen on ground to try to get them completed because the more they are, the better the services to humanity

“I have discussed also with some of your colleagues on the need to have a specialised centre for infectious diseases especially during the Lassa fever saga some months ago

“I was surprised that patients that were suspected to have had the virus were kept initially at the National Hospital. I asked why we didn’t have a specialised centre in the territory for cases of such nature, where we will be able to quarantine affected people

“We are working assiduously believing that at some point, we should be able to have such facility in the city to serve the whole territory.”