Kwara opens neonatal intensive care unit at Sobi Specialist Hospital
…Unit to provide intensive care, life support for premature, critically ill newborns
The Kwara State Government has opened a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Sobi Specialist Hospital in Ilorin to provide specialised care for premature, critically ill and vulnerable newborns.
The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Hospitals Management Board (KW-HMB), Dr Abdulraheem Malik, disclosed this during an inspection of the hospital on Friday.
Malik said the new unit would provide intensive care, close monitoring and life-support services for newborns requiring critical medical attention, including babies in need of respiratory and nutritional support.
“The establishment of this Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a significant intervention towards improving the survival and well-being of vulnerable newborns. We will continue to assess the facility and identify the manpower, equipment and infrastructure required to ensure that the unit delivers effectively,” he said.
The KW-HMB team, led by Malik, was received by the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr Salihu Mohammed, alongside the Matron, Hospital Secretary and other senior officials.
The inspection covered the Maternity Ward, Accident and Emergency Ward, Laboratory, Solar Power Station, General Outpatient Department, Eye Centre, Immunisation Unit, Family Planning Unit and Records Department.
According to the board, the exercise was aimed at identifying infrastructure, equipment, staffing and other operational needs requiring attention, while allowing its management to engage directly with hospital staff on challenges affecting service delivery.
The team also inspected the site where the foundation was laid for the proposed Al-Hikmah University Teaching Hospital lecture rooms.
Malik said the lecture rooms would provide a clinical training environment for medical students and support the development of medical education in the state.
“This is an investment not only in infrastructure but also in the future of healthcare and medical education. The partnership between the Kwara State Government and Al-Hikmah University will create opportunities for quality clinical training and help produce the medical professionals we need for the future,” he said.
He commended Al-Hikmah University for its partnership with the state government, saying the collaboration would contribute to medical education and healthcare delivery in Kwara.
The inspection forms part of the KW-HMB’s ongoing assessment of healthcare facilities and strategic health projects across the state, with emphasis on identifying priority needs, improving service delivery and strengthening collaboration with stakeholders.
