By
Jamilu Abubakar
The North-East Development Commission (NEDC) has donated medical equipment for the testing and treatment of cervical and breast cancer to the Gombe State Specialist Hospital as part of efforts to strengthen cancer care and improve access to life-saving health services in the North-East region.
Speaking during the handover of the equipment, the Gombe State Coordinator of the North-East Development Commission, Architect Usman Muhammad, said the intervention was informed by the growing burden of cancer cases, particularly cervical and breast cancer among women, and the need to improve early detection and treatment.
He explained that the Commission identified gaps in specialised healthcare services across the region and decided to support health institutions with modern equipment capable of enhancing diagnosis and treatment outcomes.
Architect Usman noted that investing in healthcare remains critical to improving the quality of life of citizens and reducing the need for patients to travel outside the state in search of specialised cancer services. He expressed confidence that the equipment would contribute significantly to strengthening healthcare delivery in Gombe and neighbouring states.
Also speaking, Dr. Halima Farouk of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Associate Professor of Gynae-Oncology described the donation as timely and impactful, noting that the equipment would improve the hospital’s capacity for screening, diagnosis and treatment of cervical and breast cancer.
Dr. Halima explained that early detection remains one of the most effective ways of reducing cancer-related deaths and said the availability of modern diagnostic and treatment equipment would enable healthcare professionals to provide faster and more efficient care to patients.
According to her, cervical and breast cancers remain among the leading causes of illness and death among women, stressing that the intervention would expand access to specialised services and encourage more women to seek routine screening and treatment.
On his part, Acting Head of Clinical Services at Gombe State Specialist Hospital, Dr. Bashir Umar, said the equipment would not only benefit residents of Gombe State but also serve patients from neighbouring states across the North-East.
He said the donation would strengthen the hospital’s status as a referral centre in the region and improve healthcare outcomes by reducing delays in diagnosis and treatment.
The hospital management and medical experts expressed appreciation to the North-East Development Commission for the intervention and appealed for more support in expanding specialised healthcare services, particularly in the area of cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment across the region.
