The Akwa Ibom State government says it will continue to invest heavily in the health sector to ensure the availability of affordable and qualitative health care delivery system to the people of the state.
An elated Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Charles Udoh restated this while announcing the arrival of seven container-loads of medical hardware procured by the state government.
Mr. Udoh said that Governor Udom Emmanuel is committed to the upgrade of all secondary health facilities in the state in other to enhance easier access to the standard Health care services in all parts of the state.
“Governor Emmanuel is creating industries, expanding infrastructure, investing in Agriculture and education, but without a healthy population, who are going to be the beneficiaries of these developments?”
“We took delivery of one container of medical equipment yesterday, in addition to the six containers that arrived earlier. Another 9 are awaiting shipment to Uyo from the Port Harcourt,” Mr Udoh announced.
“ If you visit the hitherto dilapidated General Hospital at Etinan, you will be amazed at the new look of rehabilitated and completely re-furnished state of the hospital,” and the Governor is planning to replicate the same gesture in all General Hospitals in the state.
Some of the new equipment delivered to the hospital included, automated beds with ultrasound scanners, electro- cardiogram machines, spot vital signs devices, foetal anomaly scanners, endoscopes, oxygen concentrators among others.
During the state anniversary celebration few weeks ago, a team of 100 medical personnel comprising 25 doctors and 75 nurses were inaugurated into an Emergency Response Training Programme by the Governor , while the construction of an ultra-modern General Hospital at Ituk Mbang was flagged off by Mr Emmanuel.
The Commissioner said the new hospital which is strategically located at the site of the existing hospital at Ituk Mbang is meant to service Uyo metropolis and the Ibom International Airport axis of the state.
“The Modern General Hospital,Ituk Mbang, as the governor promised when rehabilitated and re-equipped will take care of gynaecology, paediatrics, emergency health care and other general medical services.”
“Don’t forget that the Governor is still providing free health care services to the infants, the expectant mothers and the aged, and these services will make more meaning when the facilities are in place and are accessible to people.”
He said the governor is making a bold expression to stem the tide against the spate of medical tourism abroad, and reduce the congestion on the tertiary and quaternary medical facilities in the state.
It would be recalled that Governor Udom Emmanuel who kick-started the medical reforms in May this year had noted that a healthy population gives rise to a wealthy population, maintaining that having been exposed to several world class medical facilities in the world, he was under obligation to deliver same to his people.
‘I don’t see this as an expense but as an investment in the interest of Akwa Ibom people,” Governor Emmanuel said.
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