From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
It was a gathering of professionals in medical services in Abuja and beyond when a new private health facility, Kay Medicare Hospital, Gwarimpa, Abuja, was opened and dedicated, signalling the commencement of medical services to the public.
As gathered, the health facility, equipped with the state-of-the-art equipment, will offer services in various areas of health care, with experienced doctors and other professionals available at affordable rates.
Medical theatre (operating room), labour room (delivery room), pharmacy, laboratory, ultrasound, X-ray, consultation room, emergency room, ambulance services, patient wards, with an executive room and more, were some of the services highlighted by the hospital management on offer in the hospital.
Coincidentally, the hospital dedication event fell in the birthday of the founder, Dr. Chetachi Dikko (TirHam), hence the elaborate celebration.
The event, which began with free medical services/checks for residents of the host community, culminated in the occasion heralding the dedication of the hospital.
Present at the event were traditional rulers from different parts of the country, senior government officials, diplomats, businessmen, friends and well-wishers of the founder from within and outside Nigeria, particularly from the United States, who gathered to celebrate Dikko, whose philanthropy has impacted life greatly within and outside her community and family.
Chairman on the occasion, Habib Habu, in his opening remarks recalled with the the long desire of Dikko to have such a place where affordable medical services could be accessed by people of different classes and status in society.
He congratulated the management of the hospital, led by Dikko, expressing optimism that, with the level of commitment in human capacity and state-of-the-art equipment available in the hospital, in no distant time, the facility would be a reference point within and outside Abuja in terms of quality and affordable service delivery.
Several traditional rulers and spiritual fathers that attended the event praised Dikko for her gesture which often come through the platform of her nongovernmental organization, When in Need Foundation, and proclaimed blessings for the success of her new endeavour.
They promised support, prayer and otherwise, for the smooth take-off of the hospital and other humanitarian interventions of the celebrant.
Speaking to journalists after a tour of the facility, Dikko said the hospital was started and completed through self-efforts, and no financial donation was made from any individual.
Dikko explained that she chose to return to Nigeria and establish the hospital because of several experiences she had in the course of her philanthropic interventions in years past.
She said: “I noticed that, after my humanitarian interventions, particularly medical missions, follow-up mechanisms were not there to ensure continuity and sustenance, thereby having a negative effect in our desire to better the lives of our people.
“Instructively, many Nigerians doing amazing things in the diaspora are always afraid to return to Nigeria because of insecurity and other socioeconomic challenges. But I have conquered the fear and decided to return to establish this health facility.
“My major aim of establishing this hospital is to ensure that Nigerians, irrespective of financial and social status, could get quality and affordable medical services. I brought the experience of my years of service abroad here for the service of Nigerian patients.
“The unique thing about this hospital is that everybody that visits this hospital must be attended to, not considering the financial and social status. This is not one of the hospitals that you must make a financial deposit before you are attended to. So long as you are sick and walk in, attention must be given to you. Monetary gain is secondary to us. That’s the difference.
“We observed that there are lots of Nigerians who are dying of common ailments that could be cured, due to lack of funds. They are the reason for this hospital. I am not here to make money but to serve the people. Passion for service to humanity caused my return to Nigeria. I work tirelessly to earn a living and that is the reason for continued love for philanthropy.”
Meanwhile, at the end of the event, cakes and other gifts were presented to the celebrant from friends, family, colleagues, inlaws, students and other beneficiaries of her philanthropic interventions.