13th September, 2014
The Nigerian Army on Friday upgraded the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital to an ultra modern radio diagnosis centre in Kaduna.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah said the hospital has been upgraded to level four international standard given the nation’s contributions to peacekeeping across the world.
He explained that the 300-bed hospital and the commissioning of the radio diagnosis centre, the Nigerian Army had fulfilled one of the requirements of meeting best international standard of troops, which he said boost the health and welfare of military personnel and their civilian counter-parts.
The Army Chief reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army towards improving the health care services of its troop and members of their family as well as the public.
He also added that the upgrade was envisioned to enable the hospital become the centre of excellence in health care delivery in the Nigeria noting that it was in the bid to provide excellent health care delivery to its personnel and the populace that the Nigerian Army installed the state-of-the art Radio Diagnosis equipment.
He explained that the centre would serve the needs of those who may have to travel outside the country for such qualitative health care.
On his own part, the Corps Commander Army Medicals, Maj-Gen. Obashina Ogunbiyi said the hospital catered for both the military and civilian populace.
Ogunbiyi added that the hospital also serves as training ground for interns and postgraduate doctors in family medicine.
According to him, the hospital also serves as a treatment and care of injured officers and soldiers from various peacekeeping missions (operation zaman lafiya).
He assured that the hospital would continue to contribute to the health care services of highest quality to all clients within available resources. “The hospital is being progressively upgraded to assume United Nations level four status,” he said.
The 44 Nigeria Army Reference Hospital is the apex and premier Nigerian Army hospital. It is a 300-beds hospital with 25 departments and a host of specialists in various fields of medicine and allied professions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the centre was commissioned by the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd) in Kaduna.