Again, contractors abandoned 7bn Dangote theatre in Kano

When Alhaji Aliko Dangote promised to construct N7bn ultra modern surgical theater at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano, many people in the state were delighted with the initiative, but their hopes and aspirations seem to be dashing out as the project was abandoned for the second time in three years after its foundation was […]

When Alhaji Aliko Dangote promised to construct N7bn ultra modern surgical theater at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano, many people in the state were delighted with the initiative, but their hopes and aspirations seem to be dashing out as the project was abandoned for the second time in three years after its foundation was laid down.
Kano Chronicle gathered that a 5-story building of ultra modern theatre was designed for the hospital by the Kano indigene rich businessman.
He also intends to build a modern laboratory with some departments that include radiology in the hospital.
The theatre according to the plan would accommodate 60 patients at a time for surgery and to be equipped with the state of the art facilities.

However, findings indicated that presently there is too much backlog of patients prescribed to undergo one kind surgery or the other at the hospital due to non completion of the modern surgical theatre.
Further findings revealed that doctors and patients in the hospital are facing serious difficulties courtesy of this problem. It was said that after demolition of the old theater, the doctors attached to it were relocated to the female theatre and since then doctors find it very difficult to perform their duties.
One of the doctors in the hospital, who pleaded for anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to press, said they were operating in a difficult situation.
“We are now placed on shift because we cannot operate five days in a week. And this has resulted to serious backlog of patients. We have slashed our admission in this hospital because of this problem. We normally refer patients to other hospitals. The most unfortunate thing is that the work has stopped and nobody knows when it will be completed. People are really suffering.
“Our plea is that the Dangote foundation should come to the aid of thousands of patients who are presently suffering due to non completion of the project. Government on its part should consult the foundation so that it will direct the contractor to resume to the site and complete the project,” he said.
Some patients, who spoke to our reporter expressed dismay over the delay in completing the project. Hadiza Umar Isa Diso, said she was expected to undergo surgery for the last three days, but that was not possible due to chunk of patients that were on the cue for weeks.
She said: “Whenever I come to the hospital, I will be told to come back the next day. This is my third day of visiting the hospital but I was not able to undergo the surgery.”
Another patient, Hauwa Isyaku appealed to Kano state government to intervene by reminding Dangote about the project, noting that people especially women were suffering.
“I will undergo the surgery tomorrow and from the look of things I will be able to have it this time around. I suppose to have it two days ago but I was told that there is no bed and therefore I have to wait for at least two days to discharge some patients,” she said.
While laying the foundation for the project named after his mother, Mariya Sanusi Dantata Ultra Modern Theatre Complex, the Chairman of the foundation who also doubles as the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote said the gesture was meant to complement government’s efforts in improving the health sector.
On that same day, Dangote pledged to also construct a 1,000 bed health facility in addition to the theatre complex in the hospital.
“It is our broader commitment to systematically improve the health and well-being which is one of our areas of focus. We believe that every Nigerian has a right to quality healthcare. We also believe that it is our collective duty to rally our resources to improve health infrastructure,” Dangote said at the ceremony.
To start the construction work, the former existing theatre at the hospital was dismantled and foundation for the new complex was laid.
Two years into the commencement of the project now, the hospital is yet to have the ultra modern theatre and instead, it is left battling with where to perform surgery for its crowded patients.
When our reporter visited the site of the project, there was no work going on and the whole area was fenced to deter people from having access to the site.
Kano Chronicle gathered that the work has been abandoned after it has reached a certain stage and as a result the hospital is left with no standard theater to perform surgeries.
 “The non completion of this project has put us in problems. Imagine our population in Kano and the importance of Murtala Hospital in the metropolis and today we are with no standard theatre for operation, this is very frightening,” said a resident Malam Danladi Muhammad.
Muhammad further said that Kano being the origin of Dangote deserves more than that project from him. He therefore appealed to Dangote to investigate and fish out those wishing bad for his state and ensure the completion of the project.
Following the complaints made by residents in the state, the Dangote foundation team last year visited Kano to further assure the state government that the foundation would complete the project this year.
The leader of the team and Chief Executive of the foundation, Miss Halima Dangote said “the ongoing construction of a multi-billion naira state-of-the-art Operating Theatre and Diagnostic Centre will be completed next year”.
She said the earlier delay was due to technical hitches which had been resolved and the new contractor, Dantata and Sawoe had returned to the site.
Despite this assurance, the project is still left abandoned and in the absence of the theatre, a temporary one was created by the state government to ease surgical activities in the hospital.