The Chief Medical Director of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi, Dr. Terungwa Stephen Hmande, has disclosed that the Benue State Government has invested over ₦20 billion to transform the hospital. He made the disclosure on Thursday while receiving the Presidential Media Team during an inspection tour of projects executed under Governor Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia’s administration.
Dr. Hmande appreciated the team’s visit, describing it as an opportunity to showcase the administration’s achievements and counter misleading narratives about developments in Benue State through factual and objective reporting. He said the massive investment has transformed BSUTH from what he described as a deplorable and failing facility into a modern tertiary hospital capable of delivering quality, efficient and specialised healthcare services to the people.
The CMD highlighted major interventions, including the renovation of the Radiology Department, procurement of over ₦13 billion worth of modern clinical equipment, establishment of a VIP Smart Clinic, construction of the Governor Alia Pharmaco-Surgical Pharmacy, and a Therapeutic Centre for Children with Special Needs. He also announced the award of a contract for a permanent water works project to permanently address the hospital’s longstanding water shortage, adding that the interventions have repositioned BSUTH as a leading healthcare facility and an emerging destination for medical tourism in Nigeria.
Dr. Hmande further commended Governor Alia for eliminating the salary disparity between BSUTH staff and their counterparts in federal health institutions. He added that the government recently released ₦130 million to settle outstanding staff obligations, reaffirming its commitment to staff welfare.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Tersoo Kula, praised Dr. Hmande for aligning with Governor Alia’s vision for a greater Benue through visible transformation at BSUTH. The Presidential Media Team expressed satisfaction with the projects inspected and pledged to present an accurate account of the hospital’s progress to Nigerians.
