The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), has announced a plan to establish medical centres across rural communities in the Niger Delta region so as to give people at the grassroots access to basic but critical modern medical services.
Nigeria’s Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Umana, disclosed this during a medical outreach in Nsit Ubium, Akwa Ibom State, Southern Nigeria.
He said the outreach was an expression of the Ministry’s mandate and aspiration to improve the human development indices of people in the region.
“We are working hard to reach out to the grassroots, we’re making another promise that we will try to provide a medical centre for this community, so that this community will have at least regular basic medical services, that such medical facility would be made available at communities across the region in a deliberate effort by the federal government to build a better Niger Delta region.”
The Minister explained that the ministry is taking positive steps to respond to healthcare needs and other development issues in the region to drive Federal Government’s initiatives that would make lives of the people better in the region.
“We have also approved this programme in four local governments in this state and we will be approving more of such not only for this state but other states in the Niger Delta region.”
The Minister further acknowledged challenges facing the outreach programme such as staffing shortages and explained that those limitations were imposed by funding constraint.
Also speaking during the medical outreach, the director, Community Development and Education (CDE) of the Ministry, Mr Adamu Sabo, noted that more than 1000 people have received help for various medical conditions, including surgeries and eye care, since the outreach programme kicked off.
Responding to the gesture, the chairman, Nsit Ubium local government area, Arc. Iniobong Orok, commended the government for the healthcare programme and Promised a land for the building of the planned medical facility.
The medical outreach which was branded, Integrated Medical Outreach 2022, was organized by the ministry for the indigenes of Ikot Edibon, Nsit Ubium LGA in Akwa Ibom state, said the plan for the outreach programme benefited from inputs from Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA), where the healthcare professionals used for the programme were sourced from.
