The Hospital had been nicknamed “Asibitin Karasani” killing Hospital by none other than the immediate and direct beneficiaries of the medical institution. But that is not surprising at all, considering the peculiar character traits of an average Bakano who always failed to think positively about any idea no-matter how good and beneficial.

 

 

It was during the administration of General Muhammad Sani Abacha of blessed memory under the able pioneering efforts of the former Chief Medical Director, professor Sadiq Wali, that the hospital became prominent when virtually state of the arts medical equipment was provided to the hospital. It not only catered for numerous patients from Kano/Jigawa its primary catchments, but all the Nineteen Northern states plus the Federal capital territory. The dedication of the medical and auxiliary staffs coupled with the availability of sophisticated medical facilities had transformed the hospital into a center of excellence, thus greatly enabling it to rub shoulders and in some case surpassed the so-called first generation teaching hospitals. A case of medical referral from other hospitals including the much-publicized national hospital Abuja, to AKTH occurred on a daily basis.

 

It is however sad, that since the inception of supposedly democratic governance in 1999, the hospital had continued to suffered in dignified silence. In fact, I considered it a miracle that, the hospital had continued to wax stronger despite the problems bedeviling its smooth functioning. Apart from gross under funding, almost all on going capital projects as at 1999 were stopped. Some of this project included the school of medical records, school of nursing and the gigantic staffs houses .One disturbing aspect of all  is that, the entire projects have reached an advanced stages of completion.

 

The under supply of electricity to kano in particular and northern Nigeria in general had also greatly affected the fortunes of the hospital to the extent that, it relied on generating sets for smooth day to day activities. It is gratifying however to note that, the hospital is blessed with public spirited individuals that really cared for its survival. Some of these individuals included the Kano based philanthropists, Alhaji (Dr.) Aminu Alhassan Dantata, and Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim El-Tayyeb (Sudanese); they assisted the hospital in various capacities.

 

 

In a society that is so engrossed in false pretence and so averse to conforming to standard procedures of doing things, such barrage of criticism will definitely be expected, but AKTH should not in any way allows such persistent criticism to make it compromised its standard medical ethics as obtained in other refutable medical institutions around the world.

 

Most of the patient that are referred to AKTH are those with terminal diseases and part of the responsibility of the hospital is that, no matter what such patient can not be discharged like other general and specialist hospitals do. But, will continued to be attended to, until ALLAH (S.W.T.) in his infinite mercy decided their fate. In a society were people didn’t even want to take simple medication like paracetamol, let alone going to hospital until their cases deteriorated b and became hopeless, such frequent death cannot be avoided. Furthermore, while other hospitals could sent back patients with terminal illness back home to continue with “Maganin Gargajiya”, teaching hospitals like AKTH do not have the liberty to even contemplated such action, here in lies the dilemma of a referral hospitals.

 

 Many such patients required organ transplant like Liver, Lung, Intestine and pancreas depending on the type of ailment they are afflicted with. But right from the time when AKTH pioneered kidney transplant in Nigeria how many Kano people including the professional critics, willingly submitted themselves to the hospital and donated one of their kidneys for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.)? Iam sure even with the peculiar nature of Bakano with money, as every adult Bazazzagi (Zaria Man) knew very well, none will part with one of his vital organ no-matter the amount of money involved! Unlike what is obtained in developed countries where people willingly donated their organs for humanity.

 

 As a third world country, Nigeria had not yet reached the stage where it can cloned such vital organs easily as is being done in developed countries where all that is required is a portion of cells of the affected organ to regenerate similar prototype with the same DNA materials intact! The technology and expertise are well beyond our reach at least for now with the current set of leaders we have whose pre-occupations are simply how to elongate their mis-rule through the dubious third term. (GOD FORBID BAD THING)

 

We should therefore collectively give thank to Almighty Allah (S.W.T.) for making it possible for kano/Jigawa and indeed the whole North, to have AKTH prior to the advent of the hopeless government under OBJ., that sheepishly subjected our economic independence to the whims of neo-liberal capitalist in the name of the so-called reforms thereby relegating both socio-economic and political well-beings of the generality of Nigerians to the back-bench. The problems bedeviling health sector can equally be seen in other areas of our national life, and all these are the result of an insensitive government on a mission to destroy the country.

 

It is paramount at this juncture to advice the people of kano being shari’a compliant people, to stop making spurious and unsubstantiated allegations against AKTH because it contravened the basic tenets of shari’a legal system as whatever one says will be accounted for in the here-after. They should also understand that, no matter what “naka sai naka” AKTH is truelly, professionally and sincerely rendering a selfless service to humanity according to its motto and should therefore merit our appreciation, prayer and encouragement.