Anglicans in northern Nigeria are building a hospital and trauma centre to help the thousands of victims suffering as a result of the Boko Haram terror group.
Bishop Emmanuel Mani, of Maiduguri diocese in Jos province, intends the new clinic to treat people across all faiths, not just Christians.
The church-funded clinic is costing 15 million Nigerian Naira, or just over £34,000.
Premium Times, which reported the venture, said that although it is an Anglican clinic, the government had asked the diocese to open the clinic to all so that the entire community will benefit.
"This is a diocesan hospital for all of us. We are going to use our doctors, nurses, and all health workers – both retired and serving – to render services for the community, and we hope the services would be free of charge," Bishop Mani said.
The foundation stone was laid on Sunday, according to Sight magazine.
Bishop Mani was reported as saying: "The good thing about this project is that government engineers who provided the plan and are supervising the project are doing it free of charge.
"When we went to the Ministry of Health to inform them of our plans to establish a health clinic and trauma centre within the church premises, they were highly delighted and encouraged us to go ahead with the project."
It will include a labour ward, mini operting theatre, pharmacy and laboratory.
According to World Watch Monitor, Maiduguri has borne the brunt of Boko Haram's attacks. The city was shut to outsiders for two years but opened to visitors again last summer after the military recaptured villages and rescued 90 people. More than 50 people were then killed by a Boko Haram bomb last September, and dozens injured.
