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Healthcare Delivery: We’ve Invested Huge Resources, Wike Declares …As RSG Mulls Health Insurance Board

The Rivers State Government has said that it has invested huge resources to turnaround the healthcare delivery system.
The state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, made this declaration during the opening ceremony of the Joint Health Conference at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Speaking through his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Wike expressed the determination of his administration to better the health of the Rivers people and other residents in the state.
He stressed that the non-interest loan to doctors in the private sector, the establishment of a College of Medicine in the state university and the establishment of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital underscores the importance his administration attaches to health.
Wike said the renovation, equipping and furnishing of the General Hospitals, Zonal Hospitals, the Mother and Child Hospital as well as the Sir Dr. Peter Odili Cardiovascular, Cancer and Radiotherapy Centre remain a signature projects of his administration.
The stategovernment also said that it planned to set up health insurance management board soon to boost health care services in the state.
Wike recently assented to a bill setting up the health insurance scheme in the state.
The State Chief Executive expressed happiness that professionals in healthcare delivery in the private sector came together to synergise with government for the singular purpose of repositioning health care services in the state.
“It is my hope that as you brainstorm in healthcare financing, the health business forum, the biomedical engineering training session and the discussion on quality control and development of indigenous health remedies, you will set the pace for a robust and smooth health care system that will meet best international practices”, Wike said.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Ndidi Chikanele Utchay, expressed gratitude to Wike for his vision, competence, leadership and remarkable developmental strides in the health sector, which according to her, had raised the standard of health service delivery in the state.
Utchay said the conference was the first time health practitioners from various fields would gather in the state to brainstorm on how to improve the healthcare needs of the people.
She said the conference would ensure the building of a resilient and dynamic health system that will impact on the healthcare needs of the people.
Utchay commended Governor Nyesom Wike for equipping all tertiary health facilities in the state, upgrading the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital to a full-fledged research institution and for the establishment of the college of medicine in the state.
She assured that Dr Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Centre under construction would be one of the best in the country.
In his keynote address, Dr. Ibrahim Wada, said that with the huge investment in the health sector of the state, Rivers State was on a journey towards a prosperous exemplary health status in Nigeria.
Chairman of the occasion, and the Onye-Ishi Agwuru of Igbo Kingdom, Dr Samuel Amaechi, called for the incorporation of both traditional and orthodox medicine with a view to enriching the healthcare needs of Nigerians.
Amaechi also called for the approval of a grant for traditional medical researchers in the country.
Highlights of the occasion were the conferment of the Best Governor on Health Infrastructure and Human Development on Wike and the Very Distinguished Medical Elder and Novel Educationist in Medical Science on former Governor Peter Odili.
The theme for the conference is: “Repositioning Healthcare Services in Rivers State”.
By: John Bibor & Oreoluwa Adigun
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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