Abiodun Adelaja
10 November 2008
Abuja — A former member of the House of Representatives and Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) candidate for the forthcoming House of Representatives re-run election for Okene/Ogori-Magongo Federal Constituency in Kogi State, Hon. Abdul Azeez Idris King, has expressed concern over poor state of hospitals in the local government areas in the country and called on individuals and institutions to complement effort of governments by providing voluntary services to save hospitals from collapse.
King said no nation can prosper economically and politically if the health of its citizens are not guaranteed. He called for a deliberate and urgent action by individuals and organizations to identify key hospitals in the rural areas and provide them with equipment and other necessary environment that will deliver effective health care services to the rural areas where, bulk of the population live.
While presenting modern hospital equipment worth over N3 million to two general hospitals in Okene and Okengwe both in his constituency in Kogi State, King said political leaders should strive hard to provide good living condition to the people which he said will go a long way to justify public trust. . "I know the significance of health to people's well-being and I would never hesitate in doing more for other sectors like education, economic empowerment, infrastructure, etc, by virtue of my priorities," he said.
Engr. Shuaibu Salami, President General Okengwe Development Association (ODA) supported by Hon. Garido Ohinoyi, while receiving the items on behalf of the community in the hospital premises praised the donor, Hon. AbdulAzeez King and promised to take adequate care of the equipment even as he urged the community to reciprocate the good gesture.
Subsequently, Okene General Hospital, one of the largest in Kogi State received part of the medical equipment in addition to a new model bore-hole and a standard public toilet constructed and located within the hospital premises by the lawmaker. The occasion was graced by eminent personalities within and outside Okene Local Government. While unveiling the equipment, the host local government chairman, Alh. Yahaya Abubakar Karaku commended the donor and assured him of complementing the good gesture. "As you have done this for us today, it has become crystal clear that you have set the pace, hence, I assure the medical team of this general hospital that the Local Government will sustain this tempo and do more to balance other areas of your medical needs." Dr. Barnabas Isah, who represented the Chief Medical Officer of the Hospital said, though despite his familiarity with Hon. AbdulAzeez and his philanthropic attributes, he was quite overwhelmed by the exclusive donation given to them, saying, "if you can donate such a standard public toilet, a functional bore-hole and these expensive set of medical facilities to this General Hospital outside office, I am very optimistic that you are likely to do more while in office."
Dr. Barnabas, representative of the Chief Medical Officer of the Hospital displayed the new modern facilities one after the other before the unimaginable crowd who graced the occasion. The medical facilities include: Surgical Gloves, Sterile Dish, Neo Glove, Thermometre, Theatre Plates, Stretchers, Wheel Chairs, Screen, Crouches, Mucus Extractor, Drip-hangers, Mattresses, Syringes and Needles, Foley Balloon Catchers and many others.
Among the personalities who attended the colourful occasion were Hon. Alh. Yahaya Abubakar Karaku, Chairman Okene Local Government Area, his vice, Hon. Adelabu, Hon. Abubakar Adagu Zubair, Okehi Local Government Chairman, Ajaokuta Local Government Vice Chairman, Hon. Aloy Ado Okino, SA to the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Hon. Hussaini Obadaki who represented the Deputy governor, former lawmaker, Hon. Aliyu Sa'aki.
Others were Hon. Alh. Abdullahi Bello, House of Assembly aspirant for the coming re-run election, the PDP Chairman for Okene Local Government, Okene Local Government Council Speaker with his council members, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Women Leaders, Youth Leaders from Okene and Ogori-mangogo Local Government and the rest, too numerous to mention. The various press crew from the local, state and federal levels were not left out.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Daily Champion. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
