North East govs laud partnership with MTN
The governors of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states have applauded their successful partnership with the MTN Foundation which secured the installation of medical equipment in six state hospitals.
They described the interventions as timely and largely impactful projects, designed to help improve and boost the healthcare sector in the state.
The governors gave their commendations recently during the formal handover ceremony of the emergency medical equipment to select state hospitals in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa. Hospitals visited include General Hospital, Ganye; General Hospital, Mubi; Sani Abacha Hospital, Damaturu; Federal Medical Centre, Nguru; Umaru Shehu Ultra -Modern Hospital, Bulumkutuand General Hospital, Biu.
At the event commissioning the items, Governor Shettima of Borno state noted the significance of such a project, considering the severe impact of insurgencies on the healthcare system over the last seven years, particularly as it relates to the availability of drugs and basic health facilities to combat the rising number of casualties.
“This is a high value initiative, that is worthy of commendation. I am so excited that MTN shares our vision for the people of Borno state. We want you to invest more in the state and country especially at this point in time where a lot of economic reforms are being put in place” he said.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at Sani Abacha Hospital, Damaturu, the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Bello who represented the Yobe state governor, said “These contributions have been made where they are most needed, these items will be deployed to the generality of the people and by extension visitors passing through Yobe state.”
He added that the insurgency had affected five general hospitals and left over one hundred primary health care facilities vandalized, looted and razed.
The Executive Governor, Adamawa State, Senator Mohammed Umaru Jibrilla went on to say, “For a company like MTN to remember humanity, it is worth appreciating. I thank the Foundation for this donation. We will continue to work with them and strengthen the ties between us.”
The chairman MTN Foundation, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, at the handover ceremony, said “In Nigeria, the ongoing war against terror has left 1.9 million people displaced by insurgency, and over seven million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Seeing the need to intervene and contribute to easing this problem, the MTN Foundation is partnering with the Federal Ministry of Health to set up the MTN Foundation Emergency Ward Intervention initiative. Our goal is that this project will lead to speedier treatment of patients in need of emergency healthcare.”
Under the Emergency Ward Intervention project, medical equipment and consumables were donated including six sets of digital patient monitors, 30 sets of stethoscopes, 30 sets of fracture immobilizers, 6 sets of laryngoscopes, and 6 sets of aspiration suction machines, amongst others.
Tony Nwakaegho
