By: Babagana Bukar Wakil, Maiduguri
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the North East Development Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Goni Alkali, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to transforming healthcare delivery across the region during an inspection visit today at the Maiduguri Eye Hospital in Borno State.
Speaking to journalists, Alhaji Alkali reflected on the Commission’s sustained engagement with the facility over the past two years. He noted that the hospital, established in the 1970s, had faced significant infrastructural and operational challenges when the Commission first conducted its assessment.
“When we first visited this hospital approximately two years ago, we assessed the situation and identified several gaps in the physical structure and operational capacity. At the Commission, we resolved to assist not only this facility but all hospitals across the North East by providing the necessary infrastructure and equipment to enhance efficiency, professionalism, and ultimately, excellence in healthcare delivery,” he stated.
Alhaji Alkali recalled that early last year, the Commission handed over a consignment of medical equipment to the Governor of Borno State for onward delivery to the Eye Hospital. However, the equipment remained bundled and largely unfamiliar to staff at the time. Recognizing that equipment procurement alone would not suffice, the Commission engaged technical experts to properly install, configure, and operationalize the equipment, while simultaneously arranging comprehensive training for hospital personnel.
“Today, I am pleased to see that all the equipment we procured has been installed and is fully functional. The machines are now operational, and we can physically appreciate what they are and what they can do. I am highly satisfied with the progress made thus far,” he remarked.
The NEDC Managing Director also disclosed broader health sector interventions across the North East. Following a recent sectoral analysis, the Commission discovered that the entire region had only one functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine, located at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, and reportedly over fifteen years old. In response, the Commission has ordered MRI machines for each teaching hospital in the North-East, along with other critical medical equipment identified through consultations with medical directors. These equipment consignments are expected to arrive within the next one to two months.
The Commission has today commenced a two-week Ophthalmology Equipment Set-Up and Training Programme at the Maiduguri Eye Hospital, marking a significant milestone in its sustained efforts to strengthen specialist healthcare services across the North East. The equipment deployed is valued at three billion naira.
Day one activities included the installation and coupling of state of the art ophthalmic equipment and the commencement of hands-on technical and clinical training sessions. These activities are focused on ensuring that the advanced equipment is fully operational and optimally configured to support high quality eye care service delivery in the region.
The training is being led by Professor Abdull Mohammed Mahdi, MBBS, MSc, PGD, FWACS, PhD, a highly respected Chief Consultant in Ophthalmology, and Co facilitated by Dr. Abuh Sunday, also a Chief Consultant in Ophthalmology. They are supported by a team of experienced specialists in ophthalmology and biomedical engineering, bringing decades of clinical, academic, and technical expertise to this capacity building initiative.
Over the course of the programme, consultant ophthalmologists, resident doctors, ophthalmic nurses, optometrists, and biomedical technicians will receive intensive, hands on training in the operation, maintenance, and optimal use of the supplied equipment. The training is designed to enhance surgical and diagnostic capacity, improve clinical outcomes for cataract and glaucoma patients, and strengthen the hospital’s ability to deliver safe, modern, and efficient eye care services. The programme also supports the long term objective of positioning Maiduguri Eye Hospital as a regional centre of excellence for ophthalmic care.
Participants include consultant ophthalmologists, resident ophthalmology doctors, ophthalmic nurses, and biomedical engineers from the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
In addition to this training intervention, the Commission is undertaking significant infrastructure upgrades and renovation works at the Maiduguri Eye Hospital, aimed at improving clinical spaces, supporting modern equipment use, and enhancing overall patient experience. These upgrades reinforce NEDC’s integrated approach to health sector development, combining infrastructure, equipment, and human capacity investments.
Beyond Borno State, the Commission is advancing similar high impact ophthalmic interventions across the North East. Notably, the construction of an ultra modern Eye Institute at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi, which commenced last year, is scheduled for accelerated implementation this year.
This intervention represents a strategic investment in modern medical infrastructure combined with deliberate human capacity development. By aligning the deployment of advanced equipment with structured professional training, the Commission is tackling avoidable blindness, expanding access to specialist care, and strengthening the resilience of tertiary health institutions across the North East. The impact of this programme is both far reaching and enduring.
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