…flags off revitalization of 22 PHCs in 4 LGAs under IMPACT Project

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue State Government is to establish a Specialist Hopsital in Vandeikya Local Government Area, LGA, of the state to provide tartiary healthcare services for the people of Benue North East Zone.

This came as the government Tuesday flagged off the revitalization of 22 Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs, in four LGAs of Vandeikya, Konshisha, Ushongo and Kwande in the zone, under the
Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services, IMPACT, Project.

The Benue State Deputy Governor, Dr. Sam Ode represented by the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Yanmar Ortese who made the disclosure while flagging off the revitalization work at the PHC Tsar Mbaduku, Vandeikya LGA stated that the State Executive Council had already approved the establishment of the hospital assuring that contract for the project would be awarded soon.

He explained that the government decided to site the hopital in Vandeikya “because already we have a teaching hospital in Makurdi which is Zone B while Otukpo in zone C has a Federal University of Health Sciences which are all providing tartiary health services. So the Specialist hospital will also serve the people of Zone A and take car of their health needs.”

The Deputy Governor emphasised that the government was not unaware of the pivotal role PHCs play in healthcare service delivery “it is the backbone of healthcare services and that is why 22 of them will be revitalised in the four LGAs.

“The work will take them from level one to level two. The PHCs will wear new looks with solar powered light, boreholes, new roof, perimeter fence among others. And I can assure you that the government has plans to employ more workers in the health sector to man our facilities to ensure better service delivery in the state.”

The Executive Secretary of Benue State Primary Healthcare Board, BSPHCB, Mrs. Grace Wende who lauded Governor Hyacinth Alia for prioritising the health sector noted that the revitalization exercise would breathe life into the healthcare services in the rural communities.

Mrs. Wende who disclosed that the revitalization was the best thing to happen to PHCs in the state urged the people to make good use of the facilities and protect them as their personal property “because it is yours and it will serve your health needs.”

The State Coordinator of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, Mr. Ishola Babatunde who lauded Governor Alia for giving adequate attention to the healthcare sector appealed to the government to employ more hands in the sector. He also urged the contractor to ensure timely completion of the projects.

The President General of Kunav Development Association, KUDA, Emmanuel Yaji commended Governor Alia for his development strides stressing that “the state is witnessing uncommon transformation in all sectors in about two years of your administration.”

The traditional rulers of the area, Tylor Mbatyough, Chief Othaniel Age and the Tyoor Nyumangbagh, Chief Charles Uzuativ commeded Governor Alia for the initiative promising to ensure that the contractors were protected and properly taken care of in the course of executing the projects.

Representative of the contractor, Mr. Adi Kersha assured of the timely execution of the contract and in accordance with the contractual specifications.

The highpoint of the event was the symbolical handover of the contract cheque and project site to the contractor by the Deputy Governor.