Why we are funding private hospitals – Rivers deputy Governor
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo says the state government has advanced loans to private medical institutions in the state as part of its strategy to boost healthcare services for the people.
Dr. Banigo stated this on Friday when members of the state branch of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, paid her a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt.
She said that the government was undertaking the comprehensive renovation of 13 general hospitals in the Sstate, including the Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Rumuigbo, Port Harcourt to ensure that the people of the state had access to affordable healthcare delivery services.
The Deputy Governor regretted the poor sanitary condition of some health institutions in the state, as well as the nonchalant attitude of their personnel and stressed the urgent need for a reversal of the ugly situation.
Dr. Banigo said the present administration in the state inherited a collapsed system including infrastructural facilitie, such as the closure of courts, the State Assembly, contending that the government was taking proactive measures to restore the lost glory of Port Harcourt to attract both local and foreign investors to the state.
“In fact, when we came in we met a broken people, structure and infrastructure, healthcare service, the courts were locked for over twelve months, there was no legislature as members were operating in one small room in Government House and so peoples’ spirit were broken,” the Deputy Governor remarked.
She lauded members of the delegation for the sentiments expressed about the developmental strides of the Wike-led administration, assuring that no amount of distraction would make the government to lose its focus of giving the state a new lease of life.
Dr. Banigo also gave an assurance that all the promises made by Governor Wike would be fulfilled, urging members of the NMA to support the government in order to receive same from government.
In his remarks, the National President of the Nigeria Medical Association, Prof. Mike Ogirima said he was in the state for the bi-annual delegate’s conference of the association and also to have first-hand assessment on the improvement witnessed in the health sector of the State.
Prof. Ogirima, who commended Governor Wike for the massive developmental strides in the health sector, called for the boosting of Specialist and Residency staff in government-owned hospitals as well as other welfare packages for doctors in the state.
Earlier, the State Chairman of NMA, Dr. Datonye Alasia said the visit of the National President had afforded him the opportunity of knowing the true state of affairs, particularly in the health sector and commended Governor Wike for granting loans to private medical practitioners in the state, adding that the measure would help to enhance their services.
