Gov Umar Namadi’s transformational healthcare legacy
By Lawal Jet Kaugama
Leadership is best judged not by slogans, but by the lives it touches and the systems it strengthens.
In Jigawa State today, the evidence of purposeful governance is visible in hospitals, primary healthcare centres, training institutions, and in the renewed hope of the most vulnerable citizens.
Governor Umar Namadi’s administration has embarked on one of the most comprehensive and people-centred health sector transformations in the state’s history, laying a solid foundation for equity, access, and sustainability.
At the heart of this transformation is the Social Health Insurance programme targeted at the most vulnerable members of society. By enrolling about 1,500 persons per ward across all 287 political wards, the programme covers over 430,000 people, including children under five, pregnant women, persons with disabilities, and elderly citizens above 65 years from poor households.
With a monthly government contribution of ₦215 million at ₦500 per person, this initiative, which commenced in October 2024, represents more than policy; it is compassion institutionalised.
In a country where healthcare costs push millions into poverty, this programme stands as a bold declaration that in Jigawa State, no one is left behind because of their economic status.
Equally remarkable is the provision of free dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. Dialysis, often unaffordable for ordinary families, has become a lifeline under Governor Namadi’s leadership. With functional dialysis centres in Hadejia and Gumel General Hospitals, and new centres built at Dutse, Ringim, and Kazaure awaiting commissioning, the state has taken decisive action against a silent killer.
Since free dialysis commenced on 1 March 2025, about 260 patients have benefited, with 1,344 dialysis sessions conducted. At a cost of ₦65,000 per session, this translates to approximately ₦87.36 million borne by the government within nine months, an investment in human life that speaks louder than any political rhetoric.
The revitalisation of 213 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state further demonstrates a deep understanding of healthcare as a grassroots service. With fencing, solar power, solar water supply, midwives’ quarters, general renovations, and the provision of critical medical equipment, these PHCs are being transformed into functional, 24/7 service centres. The ₦16 billion committed to this effort is not merely infrastructure spending; it is a strategic move to strengthen preventive care, reduce pressure on tertiary hospitals, and bring quality healthcare closer to rural communities, especially those enrolled in the social health insurance scheme.
Infrastructure alone cannot deliver healthcare without human capacity. Recognising this, the administration recruited 1,924 PHC workers to staff and manage these revitalised centres. This decision not only improves service delivery but also creates employment and restores confidence in the public health system. It reflects a holistic approach where facilities, personnel, and financing work in harmony.
Governor Namadi’s commitment extends to secondary and tertiary healthcare. The revitalisation of major General Hospitals in Dutse, Hadejia, Gumel, Kazaure, Birniwa, and Ringim, alongside the Psychiatric Hospital in Kazaure, at a cost of about ₦8 billion, is redefining healthcare standards in the state.
Each hospital receiving over ₦1 billion in renovations underscores the seriousness of the intervention.
Furthermore, the construction of new general hospitals in Khausa, Ringim, Gagarawa, Kazaure, Fagam, and Gwaram is expanding access and addressing long-standing service gaps.
Human capital development has not been neglected. The construction of the permanent site of the School of Nursing in Hadejia and the ₦2 billion revitalisation of the College of Health Sciences in Jahun signal a long-term vision for a self-sustaining health workforce. These institutions will produce the nurses, midwives, and health professionals needed to sustain the expanding healthcare system.
Specialised healthcare has also received unprecedented attention. The completion of Phase II of Kazaure and Hadejia Specialist Hospitals, as well as the Gumel Orthopaedic Hospital, at a cost of ₦1.6 billion, enhances the state’s capacity to handle complex medical cases. This is complemented by the provision of medical equipment worth ₦2.032 billion for the specialist hospitals and ₦670 million for the orthopaedic hospital, ensuring that buildings are matched with functionality.
Critical support infrastructure such as the ₦1 billion State Medical Store in Dutse, the ₦6.4 billion Diagnostic and Cardiac Centre, and the ₦2.2 billion Cryo Oxygen Plant represent forward-thinking investments. These facilities will improve drug availability, diagnostic accuracy, emergency response, and overall resilience of the health system.
Governor Namadi’s health sector interventions clearly reflect visionary leadership anchored on empathy, planning, and accountability. This is not governance by headlines, but by impact. By prioritising the vulnerable, strengthening institutions, and investing boldly in infrastructure and human capital, his administration is redefining what is possible in sub-national healthcare delivery. History will likely remember this period as the moment Jigawa State chose health as a cornerstone of development, and chose wisely.
Lawal Jet Kaugama, a commentator on national issues, writes from Kano