By Abubakar Sani

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to establish three new specialists hospitals.

The Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister Malam Hamzat Sulaiman said in a statement made available to Nigerian Newsday that the minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, said the ever increasing influx of people into the Federal Capital Territory necessitated the redoubling of efforts by the FCT Administration to provide additional health facilities that will meet up with their health needs and desire.

The statement quoted Dr. Umar as saying that "the FCT Administration has concluded plans to designate some hospitals in the Federal Capital City as specialized facility for specific diseases or interventions."

According to him, "already some degree of specialization in three City hospitals namely Maitama, Asokoro and Wuse I districts has evolved".

Dr. Umar, according to the statement further revealed that Maitama is now specializing in Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT); while Asokoro and Wuse I are for Ophthalmology/Orthopedic and Dental surgery respectively.

It added that while assuring that the FCT Administration will strive to complete the Karu General Hospital to reduce pressure on the existing ones in the city, Dr. Umar noted that the FCT Administration has recorded a lot of progress in reducing the maternal mortality in the territory.

In another development, FCT the Administration has set up a 10-member Implementation Committee for the implementation of free antenatal programme expected to take off on August 1, 2008.

FCT Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar who disclosed this sid that the committee will strategize on how to ensure smooth implementation of the scheme in the eight satellite hospitals proposed for the first phase.