|
By John Okekwu
The Association of Kogi State indigenes resident in the United
States of America have planned a free comprehensive medical care
package for the state.
The package will involve the supply of sophisticated medical
equipment and drugs to be distributed to various hospitals across
the state. It will also include the visit of a medical team
consisting of about 28 qualified specialist physicians who will tour
different parts of Kogi State for the on spot treatment of people
with various ailments.
The equipment and the medical team are expected to start arriving
the state towards the end of this year.
These were the disclosures of the President of the Association, Mr.
Babatunde Ayodele Alaofin, who paid a courtesy call on the Speaker
of Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Clarence Olafemi, to
explain his mission to the state.
Mr. Babatunde explained that Kogi indigenes in America are worried
about the poor state of medical facilities in the state and this has
led them to go into partnership with project-cure, an international
organization advancing the health needs of developing countries to
assist Kogi State in developing its medical facilities.
He stated that project-cure has already promised and approved the
shipment of about 40 container loads of medical supplies to Kogi
State and about ten of these container loads will arrive Nigeria
before the end of the year.
Mr. Babatunde also revealed that Governor Ibrahim Idris has promised
to give them all the support they would need to make the project a
success, adding that the medical team has planned to use the
Diagnostic Hospital at Anyigba as their base to carry out their
operations with the hope that the equipment that will be installed
there will be useful when a Teaching Hospital is to be established
for Kogi State University.
Mr. Babatunde visited the state Assembly in company of the former
Vice-President of the Association, Sam Alfa, who also briefed the
legislators on how the Igalas resident in USA, an arm of Kogi
indigenes in USA have in the past made donations to the Kogi State
University, especially in its time of dire need for materials and
funds that qualified it for accreditation of its courses.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olafemi, expressed the gratitude of the entire
members of the House to the team for sparing their time and
resources to promote the betterment of the state.
He decried the poor financial position of the state which has made
it impossible for it to meet the medical needs of its teeming
population, stressing that the help from the US team will complement
the efforts of the government and boost the morale of their brothers
and sisters in the state.
The Speaker also urged the indigenes of the state in USA to help in
attracting investors for the development of the numerous mineral
resources which abound in the state. This, he said, would create
employment for indigenes of the state and help to increase the
internally generated revenue needed for the rapid development of the
state.
|
