The Katsina State Government is set to partner with Outreach NeoLife Babies Hospital to expand access to urgent and specialised neonatal care for sick and premature babies across the state.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda made the commitment on Wednesday when he received the Board Chairman of Outreach NeoLife Babies Hospital, Dr. Efunbo Dosekun, and her delegation at Government House in Katsina.
According to a statement issued by the Katsina State Government, the proposed partnership is aimed at strengthening neonatal healthcare services and contributing to efforts to reduce child mortality in the state.
Governor Radda described the proposed facility as a timely intervention that could improve access to emergency and specialised treatment for newborns, particularly sick and premature babies.
“This is a commendable initiative that will contribute significantly to reducing child mortality in Katsina State,” Governor Radda said.
The governor also highlighted the state government’s broader investments in child health, noting that his administration had committed more than ₦3 billion to tackling child malnutrition after reports identified Katsina among states with a high prevalence of malnourished children.
He said the government had established a State Committee on Nutrition, expanded the number of Stabilisation Centres and established 60 new Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) centres.
According to Radda, the measures have produced significant improvements in the state’s efforts to combat malnutrition.
“Our investments in nutrition and healthcare are aimed at ensuring that every child in Katsina has the opportunity to survive, grow and live a healthy life,” he said.
The governor directed the Commissioner for Health, Musa Adamu Funtua, to work with the Outreach team to determine areas where the state government could support the establishment and effective operation of the proposed neonatal hospital.
Proposed Neonatal Centres Across Katsina
During her presentation titled “Acute Neonatal Service Provision in Katsina State through Outreach NeoLife Babies Hospital,” Dosekun commended the state government for its investments in neonatal healthcare.
She cited the expansion of institutional and equipment capacity at primary and district hospitals, as well as the deployment of different ambulance services, including tricycle and Keke ambulances and advanced ambulances.
Dosekun said Outreach NeoLife was proposing a new model of neonatal care intended to improve timely access to emergency treatment for sick and premature babies while strengthening coordination between different levels of the healthcare system.
The proposed model would focus on increasing urgent neonatal bed capacity, establishing an organised clinical network, improving bed management and strengthening referral systems across Katsina State.
She said the existing ambulance network could also become more effective through improved coordination between healthcare facilities and referral centres.
Dosekun further stressed the importance of identifying sick and small babies at the community and primary healthcare levels before their conditions become critical.
She proposed statewide training for mothers, grandparents, frontline healthcare workers and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to help them recognise neonatal danger signs and seek medical attention early.
The proposal also includes community health education through formal Mothercraft Centres.
Under the proposed plan, urgent neonatal care centres would be established in Katsina, Daura and Funtua Senatorial Districts. Dosekun said the majority of healthcare workers would be recruited from Katsina State and receive structured clinical and management training through Care One Digital Systems, a sister company of Neo Life.
She said a similar model is already operating in Kano, where a 100-bed modern urgent neonatal centre records between 400 and 500 patient admissions every month, with high survival rates.
Dosekun said improving neonatal survival required urgent action and called on Katsina State to accelerate efforts to improve its health indices.
The proposed partnership is expected to complement the state government’s ongoing investments in primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare while expanding its capacity to provide timely and specialised care for newborns.
The meeting was attended by the Commissioner for Health, Musa Adamu Funtua, and other senior government officials.
Source: Statement issued by the Katsina State Government through the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, dated August 14, 2026.
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