Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has handed over a newly constructed 42-room patients’ lodge to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital as part of his administration’s continuing support for healthcare services in the state.
The facility was funded by the Borno State Government and is intended to accommodate relatives and caregivers of patients receiving treatment at the federal tertiary hospital.
Many of the hospital’s patients travel from distant communities across Borno and neighboring states, making accommodation a major challenge for families.
Zulum said the project formed part of a wider effort to improve the experience of patients and support institutions whose services directly affect residents.
The state government has previously provided several interventions to UMTH despite the hospital being federally owned.
These include a N100 million intervention for medical consumables and other critical needs.
The administration also constructed 24 three-bedroom apartments for medical personnel.
Zulum has approved N1 billion in support for kidney transplant and maternal health services and provided a further N500 million intervention after the 2024 flood disaster.
The governor’s approach has been to support federal institutions within Borno where their operations are considered important to public welfare and security.
His administration has also funded infrastructure at the University of Maiduguri and provided grants to newer federal institutions in other parts of the state.
UMTH Chief Medical Director Ahmed Ahidjo thanked the governor and said the interventions had improved the hospital’s capacity to serve patients and support healthcare workers.
The new lodge is expected to reduce the burden on families who previously struggled to find accommodation while relatives underwent lengthy treatment.
The project further deepens the state government’s role in supplementing federal healthcare investment across the North-East.
