Reflections on NDDC
free medical scheme in Abia
Tessy Nkeiru Nwaogwugwu
Saturday,
October
11, 2008
Poor state of health facilities and under funding are frequent
topics of discussion all over the federation. The failure
of the primary health care system in Nigeria is reflected
in the poor and in some cases, continuing deterioration of
the basic health indices, such as maternal and infant mortality.
It is against this background that the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC), in line with its commitment to bringing
health care services to communities in the nine Niger Delta
states embarked on a five-day free medical programme in the
two senatorial districts of Abia State.
NDDC, working in collaboration with two International Non-Government
Health Organizations (NGOs)- Pro Health International and
AM Project Consult, provided a five-day free medical services
at Isiala Nteke, in Ukwa West Local Government Area for the
people of Abia South Senatorial District and Amachara General
Hospital, for the people of Abia Central Senatorial District.
Lack of medical facilities in many government hospitals and
health centres probably accounted for the uncontrollable number
of patients who came out to embrace the NDDC free medical
services in the two centres in Abia State. The free medical
treatment ranged from surgery, eye treatment, dental care,
free AIDS screening and counseling, ante-natal and general
medical examination and treatment among others.
Though NDDC uses its three International Health Consultants
– Pro Health International, Am Project Consult and Nepean
Korea – to organize its health exercises regularly in
all the nine NDDC states, that of Abia, which started from
September15-19, 2008 in the two centres was unique because
of the interest shown by the people, particularly those in
the rural areas.
In all the centres, the medical personnel had hectic time
attending to several patients from different communities,
who daily besieged the centers for free medical attention.
The turn out was as massive as the one held in Umuelechi –
Obuzor Asa in Ukwa West, Abia State in May 2008.
The NDDC Commissioner for Abia State, Barrister Aloysius Nwagbos,
who went to the two centers with NDDC top management team
to flag off the exercise, said the programme was in line with
the commission’s vision to improve the quality of life
of the Niger Delta people with particular attention to those
with greatest need and the most vulnerable group in the society.
He told the patients at the flag off ceremony at Umuteke in
Ukwa West Local Government, which was attended by members
of the Abia State House of Assembly, the officials of the
State Ministry of Health, the Organized Private Sector (OPS),
community leaders and officials of the local government that
the programme was designed to complement the effort of state
and local governments in providing qualitative health care
services to the rural areas.
Barrister Nwagboso said that in rural areas where hospitals
and clinics are absent or rudimentary the mass of population
does not have much access to those qualitative medical treatments.
Based on this, the Commission decided to collaborate with
its international health consultants to bring free-medical
service to the people, with a view of having a direct impact
on them.
He said the free medical scheme would be sustained as long
as NDDC is properly funded. According to him, the free medical
scheme is one of the approach adopted by the Commission to
ensure that development is community- based.
Barrister Nwagboso emphasized that NDDC has undertaken several
infrastructural projects and various human developmental programmes
within the seven years of its inception in an effort to bring
development to the people and usher in peace in the region.
He said NDDC, with Abia State government, embarked on project
harmonization based on presidential directive. He announced
to the cheering audience that the commission had embarked
on 188 projects in Abia State in seven years. While 98 of
them are completed, the rest are at various stages of completion.
He disclosed that 48 projects are ready for commissioning.
According to him, NDDC in the state had adopted a holistic
approach to problems of the state by ensuring that NDDC projects
in the state are people-oriented. He assured the Abia people
that the NDDC would give every part of the state a sense of
belonging, stressing that the Commission had prioritized its
operation by identifying the critical areas that need attention
for maximum benefits.
Fielding questions from the media at the end of the flag off
exercise, Nwagboso stressed the need for both the state and
local governments to partner with NDDC towards improvement
in the living standard of Abia people, particularly the rural
dwellers.
The NDDC commissioner emphasized that the Commission had made
improvement in the living standard of the people of Niger
Delta people. According to him, since Niger Delta had attracted
global and national attention, NDDC had come up with people-oriented
programmes that will not only rekindle hope but also meet
the expectations of the Abia people in particular and the
entire Niger Delta people in general. According to him, NDDC,
with every sense of commitment, has vowed to continue to offer
an enduring and sustainable solution to the developmental
needs of the Abia people in both human, physical, economic
and social terms.
The Chairman of NDDC Committee in the Abia State House of
Assembly, Dr. Ikechukwu G. Nwabeke, showered encomium on the
Abia NDDC commissioner for making a difference in his representation
of Abia State in the Governing Board of NDDC. He said Mr.
Nwagboso had consistently identified with the people through
his people-oriented approach in the execution of NDDC projects
in the State. He charged him to ensure that Abia continues
to receive its due recognition and to see that the State was
not marginalized in any way.
The lawmaker pledged the co-operation of the House towards
ensuring the Commission’s policies and programmes are
executed through legislation. He said the State Assembly would
ensure the passage of bills that would create an enabling
environment for both State and NDDC to partner together for
overall development of the State.
Similarly, the traditional ruler of the community Eze Vincent
Nana described Nwagboso as a worthy representative of the
people and pledged the continued co-operation of the entire
community, which is one of the oil producing communities to
NDDC. He stated that the success of NDDC free medical scheme
in the area would, no doubt, continue to endear the community
to the commission and called for the extension of scheme to
enable other communities benefit from the programme.
At an impressive ceremony to flag off of the free medical
scheme at Amachara General Hospital, Umuahia, Barrister Nwagboso
assured the cheering patients that NDDC would continue to
partner with foreign health consultants to bring free medical
scheme and other projects to the community.
The Federal Commissioner representing Abia State in the NDDC
Governing Board, Barrister Nwagboso commended the administration
of Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua for his concern for the development
of the Niger Delta Region and stated that with the creation
of the Ministry of Niger Delta, Abia State will continue to
receive due benefit as an oil producing state both from NDDC
and the new Ministry. He noted that NDDC, in collaboration
with its foreign health consultants, has been providing free
medical services to the people of the nine Niger Delta States
taken into consideration that the different tiers of Government
alone cannot provide all the health needs of the people.
He pointed out that many rural communities do not have access
to good and basic health needs because of prevailing health
care situation in the country. Nwagboso stressed that since
the welfare of all Nigerians is the primary responsibility
of Government, NDDC will continue to complement this effort
especially in this vital area of health care at the grassroots
level.
The Abia State Commissioner for Health Dr. Sam Ahiwe and the
Chairman of Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Health
Mr. Solomon Akpulonu both commended Mr. Nwagboso for being
responsive to the health needs of Abia people. The Commissioner
specifically called on NDDC to partner with the State government
in the purchase of solar freezers and other medical equipment
that would be useful in immunization exercise in rural areas.
Similarly Chief Akpulonu while commending NDDC for identifying
with the state, noted that in Nigeria where health care facilities
are not readily available, it is still far beyond what an
average Nigerian can afford. He described NDDC intervention
in this regard as a step in the right direction. A community
leader Senator L.I Nwokeafor commended Mr. Nwagboso and the
Federal government for the developmental strides in Abia State.
The consensus opinion after the free medical scheme in Abia
State was that Barrister Nwagboso should be commended for
his unflinching commitment in repositioning the Commission
in the State. He was charged not to relent in his effort,
but rather should continue to work in collaborations with
local and state governments as well as all service providers
to ensure that Abia State is not left behind in NDDC developmental
agenda. There is no doubt that Nwagboso era has ushered in
a period of renewed hope and development. He has shown convincingly
that he is determined to address the wrongs of the past, establish
for our people a new positive culture of social, economic,
and democratic rebirth
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– Dr. Tessy Nkeiru Nwaogwugwu, a medical officer wrote
from Umuahia, Abia State.
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