By Nasir Dambatta
For nearly two decades, Kaduna’s health sector was trapped in a cycle of neglect — unfinished hospitals, unpaid workers, abandoned reforms, and demoralized staff. Governor Uba Sani has broken that cycle. In a little over two years, he has charted a new course defined by bold decisions and people-centered investments. His formula is unmistakable: prioritize workers, rebuild infrastructure, and restore faith in public healthcare.
In my mind’s eye, there are Nine Bold Strides that mark Kaduna’s healthcare renewal under Uba Sani.
First stride? Payment of CONHESS Salaries
One of Governor Sani’s earliest masterstrokes was approving and commencing the long-awaited payment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and hazard allowance for nurses and health workers. For years, these professionals had felt abandoned, their welfare ignored by successive administrations, especially during thebperiod leading up to the governor’s victory at the 2023 polls.
By meeting this demand, governor Uba Sani restored dignity to Kaduna’s health workers, boosted morale, and demonstrated that a motivated workforce is the backbone of any healthcare system.
Second Stride: Implementation of CONMESS for Doctors
Not stopping there, the governor extended his reforms to doctors, implementing the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS). This decision aligned Kaduna with national pay standards and addressed a dangerous brain drain. Many doctors who had been leaving state hospitals in frustration are now rethinking their choices. The reform also sends a clear message: Kaduna values its doctors and will stand by them.
The third stride is the remodeling of nine abandoned hospitals;
hospitals abandoned for over 20 years in key locations like Zaria, Kafanchan, and Birnin Gwari are being remodeled and re-equipped. For communities long left without functioning secondary healthcare, this marks the difference between life and death. These hospitals are rising again, equipped with modern facilities to meet today’s demands. What was once a symbol of decay is now becoming a promise of renewal.
The fourth stride is the commissioning of the Millennium City Specialist Hospital.
Perhaps the most striking of Uba Sani’s projects is the Millennium City Specialist Hospital — a 300-bed facility fitted with cutting-edge equipment. Commissioned in June 2025, it is now one of Northern Nigeria’s most advanced medical centres undergoing test run of sophisticated equipments as sourcing for personnel knowledgeable, with vast experienced or expertise is at advanced stage. For Kaduna, it is more than a hospital; it is a symbol of ambition, a reassurance that world-class care can exist within reach of ordinary people in the develooing world.
Fifth stride? It is about free medicine and consumables programme.
Healthcare is meaningless when patients cannot afford drugs. Recognising this, Governor Sani launched the Free Medicine and Consumables Programme. Today, patients across all 255 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Kaduna access essential drugs at vurtually no cost. For poor families, this reform has removed the burden of a draining out-of-pocket expenses and given them renewed confidence in public hospitals.
The sixth stride is special, in the sense that it is a move that some stakeholders various lyrics described as unparalleled expansion of Health Insurance coverage.
Insurance is the shield against catastrophic health expenses, and Kaduna is leading the way. Under Uba Sani, the Kaduna State Contributory Health Insurance Scheme (KADCHMA) has been expanded, pushing enrolment from 527,000 in 2023 to well over 639,000 in 2024. Vulnerable groups — pregnant women, under-fives, persons with disabilities, and the elderly — are now covered, proving that this administration is committed to leaving no one behind.
The seventh stride is strengthening Primary healthcare. Of a truth,
Primary healthcare is the first line of defence for any society. In Kaduna, PHCs in all 23 LGAs have been upgraded, equipped to grade-two status and staffed with additional workers. The reported governor’s two-for-one replacement policy ensures that for every health worker who exits, two are recruited. This bold step is gradually reversing manpower shortages and ensuring continuity of care across rural communities.
Eighth Stride: Maternal and child Health priority. By this I mean
maternal and infant mortality had plagued Kaduna for decades. Governor Sani placed women and children at the centre of his policies. From safe delivery kits to expanded immunization drives and nutrition programmes, the state is investing directly in life-saving interventions. These policies are already saving lives, building healthier families, and restoring trust in public health institutions.
As for the ninth stride, Public-Private Partnerships in Healthcare are already ushering in a news dawn for this all-important sector in Kaduna State.
Indeed, Governor Sani has opened Kaduna’s healthcare system to collaboration. Partnerships with international donors like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and private-sector players are strengthening supply chains, improving training, and ensuring sustainability. Healthcare is no longer government’s burden alone; it is now a shared responsibility with measurable results.
From neglected hospitals to modern specialist centres; from unpaid staff to respected health workers; from citizens abandoned to families covered under insurance — Kaduna’s healthcare story has been rewritten.
Governor Uba Sani’s Nine bold strides are more than isolated policies. They represent a coherent, deliberate strategy to transform healthcare from the ground up. Kaduna’s journey from neglect to renewal is not just impressive; it is a healthcare miracle in motion.
Dambatta is Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Print Media
