MSF Shuts Down In Rivers

An international non- governmental medical organisation, operating a trauma centre in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF), has disclosed its plans to shut down operations in the state.

Addressing newsmen at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, the Project Co-ordinator, MSF, Eric Jeunot, stated that MSF also known as Doctors without Borders, came into Rivers State October 4, 2005 in the heat of the militancy crises, noting however that MSF had been in operation in Nigeria since 1971.

Jeunot further said that since its operation in the state, seven years ago, Doctors Without Borders, has performed 20,000 surgical operations and sees an average of 1000 patients per month, both on emergency and non-emergency cases and stated regrettably, that these services would come to end at the end of March, 2013, while admissions would stop October 4, 2012 to give them time to attend to all their patients on admission before finally winding up.

Giving reason for their decision to pull out of the state, Jeunot said they have every reason to believe that peace and security has returned in the Niger Delta Region, adding that MSF mission in the state was to provide free emergency medical care to victims of political violence in the region, noting that they were only leaving the state, but that their services would be transferred to other parts of the World that are in need of emergency interventions.

He expressed MSF deep appreciation to the government, people of the state and operators of Teme Hospital which they used as their base, saying “MSF is deeply grateful for the support it received over the last seven years. The programme would not have been possible without the dedication of Nigerian MSF staff and collaboration with Teme Hospital and state authorities.

He however noted that the hospital would continue to admit rape victims to March while pledging the hospital’s commitments for continued delivery of quality healthcare services to members of the public within their remaining period in the state.

According to him, while they close their service office in the state, their office at the Federal Capital Territory Abuja and Nassarawa State would remain functional, adding that they would continue to beam their monitoring searchlight from the two operational bases in Nigeria on their patients that were not fully recovered before their closure to ensure they recover well.

Introducing the body earlier, the Field Operation Officer said MSF is a Non-Governmental Organisation that has no form of affiliation with any agency or government.

Tonye Nria-Dappa