24/10/2026
ZULUM’S HEALTHCARE REVOLUTION: A LEGACY OF HOPE, HEALING AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
From Kashim Ibrahim University Teaching Hospital to healthcare transformation across Borno State
By Dr. Usman Ali Busuguma, MCSN, PhD
Some achievements are measured by the buildings we construct; others by the lives we save, the opportunities we create and the hope we restore. In Borno State, the commissioning of the Kashim Ibrahim University Teaching Hospital brings these two dimensions together, marking a significant milestone in the healthcare transformation under Governor Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum.
As I witnessed this historic occasion, right in front of my eyes Sen Kashim Shettima the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria unveiled the curtain, I was filled with pride as an indigene of Borno State and a public servant. Here stood more than an impressive healthcare edifice. It was a symbol of renewed hope and a statement of commitment to the health and future of our people.
For a state that has endured years of insurgency, displacement and humanitarian challenges, investing in healthcare on this scale is a powerful statement that rebuilding Borno means investing in human lives. The establishment of this first state teaching hospital represents an important step towards expanding specialist medical services, strengthening medical education and creating opportunities for clinical research and professional training. With sustained investment and effective management, it has the potential to serve Borno State and the wider Northeast for generations. Yet, the teaching hospital is only one chapter in a much broader story.
Under Governor Zulum's administration, healthcare development has extended beyond Maiduguri to communities across the state. New general hospitals have been constructed, existing facilities upgraded, and neglected institutions rehabilitated and equipped. From Dikwa and Benisheikh to Gajiram, Monguno, Gwoza and other communities, these investments reflect an effort to bring medical services closer to the people. The reconstruction of the historic Mulai Leprosy Hospital, the rehabilitation of the Mariam Abacha Women and Children Hospital following the 2024 floods, and the development of additional specialist and general hospitals further illustrate the breadth of this programme.
While many facilities have been completed and commissioned, others are nearing completion. The priority must now be to ensure that these investments translate into dependable, accessible and affordable healthcare for every community. A hospital matters not simply because it has been built, but because a mother can deliver safely, a child can receive treatment promptly, and a family can find help when illness strikes.
Recognising that buildings alone cannot deliver healthcare, the Zulum administration has also established Colleges of Nursing and Midwifery in Monguno and Gwoza. The institutions have received professional accreditation and are designed to train more than 600 healthcare personnel collectively. This is an investment in the future: in nurses, midwives and other professionals whose skills will help strengthen healthcare delivery across the state.
The administration has also advanced specialised services, including eye and dental healthcare in Monguno, while investing in orthopaedic capacity and strengthening emergency and infectious disease response infrastructure. Through the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (SEMSAS), ten new ambulances have been procured to support emergency transportation, including for pregnant women, with a toll-free emergency line intended to operate around the clock. These interventions address a fundamental truth: timely treatment, skilled personnel and effective emergency response can make the difference between life and death.
Another important dimension of this transformation is financial protection. Even where hospitals are available, the cost of treatment can prevent vulnerable families from seeking the care they need. The Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA) provides an important framework for expanding health insurance, including the scheme for civil servants and the planned extension of coverage to vulnerable residents across all 27 local government areas.
I also acknowledge the work of my friend, Dr. Saleh Abba, Executive Secretary of BOSCHMA, in advancing the agency's healthcare responsibilities. Effective implementation and wider enrolment can help more citizens access covered medical services while reducing the financial hardship associated with illness.
Similarly, the establishment of the Borno State Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency (BODMMA) addresses the vital need for safe, quality medicines and better management of medical supplies. Together, these initiatives recognise that healthcare reform must go beyond buildings to encompass skilled personnel, emergency response, essential medicines and the ability of ordinary citizens to afford treatment.
As Regional Director of the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST), Maiduguri Regional Centre, and Chairman of the University of Maiduguri Alumni Association, Borno State Chapter, I have particular reasons to appreciate this milestone. Professor Zulum's association with our beloved University of Maiduguri makes the commissioning especially meaningful. It is a reminder of the contribution that knowledge, professional training and public service can make to societal development. I celebrate this achievement not merely as a tribute to an individual, but as an investment in the future of our people. The ultimate measure of healthcare development will be the lives improved, the preventable deaths avoided and the confidence citizens place in the institutions established to serve them.
As Governor Zulum approaches the final months of his tenure, another important question emerges: how do we ensure that these achievements endure? With the anticipated succession of Engr Mustapha Gubio fnse, the responsibility will be to preserve, strengthen and build upon the foundations already laid.
I respectfully urge the incoming administration, which i am confident of, to treat these hospitals, training institutions and healthcare programmes as public assets belonging to the people of Borno State.
Completed facilities must remain functional, ongoing projects must be brought to completion, equipment must be maintained, healthcare workers must be supported; and programmes such as SEMSAS, BOSCHMA and BODMMA must receive the attention and resources required to fulfil their mandates. The incoming administration should build upon existing progress, address outstanding gaps and make the quality and affordability of healthcare a continuing priority. The greatest tribute a successor can pay to a predecessor is to preserve what works, improve what needs improvement and ensure that the people continue to benefit. Healthcare must transcend political transitions because illness does not wait for a change of government.
Governors come and go, but the institutions they establish can serve generations. Professor Babagana Umara Zulum's healthcare investments will be most meaningful when they continue to improve lives long after his tenure ends. As I reflect on the commissioning of Kashim Ibrahim University Teaching Hospital, I see a milestone in Borno's continuing journey of recovery, development and hope. I also see a responsibility shared by government, healthcare professionals and communities to ensure that these investments deliver lasting benefits.
May our hospitals remain functional, our healthcare professionals adequately supported, and our vulnerable citizens increasingly protected from the financial burden of illness.
Professor Babagana Umara Zulum will eventually leave office, but the lives saved, institutions strengthened and opportunities created can remain his enduring contribution to Borno State.
A healthier Borno is a stronger Borno. And the task before us all is to ensure that this progress continues.
Dr. Usman Ali Busuguma is the Regional Director of NILEST, Maiduguri Regional Centre, and Chairman of the University of Maiduguri Alumni Association, Borno State Chapter.
