Australia Boosts Healthcare In Afikpo South

Australia has donated hospital equipment worth millions of naira to boost healthcare delivery services at Presbyterian Joint Hospital, Ekoli Edda, in Afikpo-South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Hitherto, the community-built hospital has been bare of necessary equipment.

The equipment, including autoclave machines, theatre equipment, refrigerator, beds and beddings, mosquito treated nets, stretchers, trolleys, among others, attracted by an Umuahia-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Centre for Human Protection and Development (CEHPROD), were donated by the Australian Agency for International Development.

Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Elder Fred Udeogu, while inaugurating the equipment weekend, said the gesture by Australia was in line with the vision and determination of the state government to provide effective health care delivery to people of the state. Udeogu was represented by the Administrative Secretary, Grants and Donor Agencies, Government House, Mr. J.E.Ekuma.

Florence Ogbonna, who stood in for the donor agency, said the donation was aimed at curbing  maternal and infant mortality in Ekoli community and environs, assuring that more donations await the people.

“We want to see that it (equipment) is fully being put to use. If that is done, what you are seeing today is yet nothing because we will be coming on with greater things for this community,” Mrs Ogbonna said.

Executive Director of CEHPROD, Nnenna Ude, said their intervention was necessitated by the inability of the community and the church to equip the hospital.

“Against this backdrop, the Commonwealth of Australia represented by Australian Agency for International Development with the Centre for Human Protection and Development (CEHPROD) intervened and assisted in completing the equipping of the hospital,” Nnenna Ude said.

According to her, the status of the hospital has been upgraded with the new equipment to promote health standard of the people and empowerment of women as well as “promotion of their being.”

The hospital management, through Hospital Administrator, Rev. Ibe Uka, praised the donor agency for their gesture, saying it has provided all that was needed to make the hospital functional.

“We had the necessity of providing adequate health care services to our people, but we hadn’t the equipment. The manpower and the technological know-how, see how God has led you to us to provide all that were necessary, it’s amazing,” Ibe said.

Chairman of the occasion who is Deputy Chairman of the local government, Uka Mba, called for judicious use of the equipment and served notice that the community was ready to take over the management of the hospital if the present managers failed to improve on their service delivery and enhance its development.

A lawmaker representing the area in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Eni Uduma, Co-ordinator of Afikpo-South Development Centre, Chief Igwe Orji, expressed gratitude to the donors and commended the Executive director of CEHPROD who is a daughter of the community for “thinking home.”