A concessionary agreement has been entered into by Kogi State Government with a private firm to guarantee adequate management of the State Reference Hospital, Okene.
This was part of approvals reached during the state executive council meeting at the Government House, Lokoja.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Doctor Usman Zakari explained that with the cutting edge technology in the hospital, there was need to ensure that the best hands man the high tech facilities in the 300 bed institution.
The Commissioner stressed that the agreement had been carefully designed to ensure sustainability of reformations in the state health sector beyond the present administration.
Doctor Zakari said that the private organization had the technical capacity to manage the new tertiary health institution in the state.
He gave assurance that affordability and accessibility of citizens would not be jeopardised and that Kogites who possess the requisite professional requirements would be engaged in the service of the hospital.
Accordingly, he pointed out that there would be consideration for locally sourced manpower with the skills needed to for operations in the hospital.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the state executive council also approved the procurement of various equipment for health facilities in the state including Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, PAAU Teaching Hospital, Anyigba and the Ultra modern General hospital, Gegu Beki.