Six Ebonyi Hospitals Get N100m Grant

The Ebonyi  Government has released a N100-million grant to six rural hospitals in the state.

The intervention, which is a public-private partnership, was aimed at increasing access to medical services by the people, especially women and children in rural communities.

Gov. Martin Elechi, while disbursing the grants to the hospitals in Abakaliki on Friday, reiterated the government’s commitment toward improving healthcare delivery in the state.

The amount brings to N800 million, the funds so far disbursed to the hospitals since 2008.

The hospitals, which received between N13 million and N17 million each, were expected to implement the free maternal health services policy of the government.

Represented by Dr Sunday Nwangene, the Commissioner for Health and Environment, Elechi said the measure was part of efforts to address the negative health indices in the state.

“This is also a step toward attaining the Millennium Development Goals,” he stressed.

He explained that since the commencement of the grants to the mission hospitals, maternal mortality had reduced from more than 1200 per 100,000 live births in 2006 to 219 in 2009.

On the state of the general hospitals which were in comatose state at the moment, he said it was the primary responsibility of the local governments and announced plans by the government to resuscitate the health institutions in the council areas.

The representatives of the hospitals, including Rev. Sister Perpetua Ezejimofor of St. Vincent Hospital, Ndubia and Mr Justin Anyarogbule of Mater Misercordiae Hospital, Afikpo, said the introduction of the grant had helped to improve their services.