..Urges Rivers people to be patient with government on current economic situation
..Receives Best Health Friendly Governor Award
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has said that the development policies of his administration are restructured into a 3-point agenda with quality education, affordable health care, and agriculture as he is determined to make Rivers State a health tourism State.
The Governor said huge investments in these sectors are already yielding positive impacts on the lives of the people and assured of sustaining the gains of the strategic development plans in healthcare delivery, quality education and agriculture, while urging Rivers people to resist plans by enemies of progress bent on using the national protest to instigate crisis in the State.
“It is only those who love this State that will protect the interest of the State. Nobody loves this State and would want to connive with people to destroy it. We love this State and we will do all we can to make sure that we support and protect its interest.”
Gov. Sim Fubara
Governor Fubara who spoke at the commissioning of the Pressure Swing Absorption Oxygen Plant built by UNICEF at the General Hospital, Ogale, Eleme Local Government on Tuesday, said the establishment of the project in Rivers is a manifestation and recognition of the investments of the state in the health sector, that will attract international partnership in the development of the sector.
The governor restated his commitment to the three cardinal programmes of his administration, stressing that the reason for UNICEF siting the Oxygen Plant in Rivers State is an endorsement of the unwavering investment of his government in healthcare service delivery.
“And you are witnesses to it that what we have done not in one year, but in the past 6 months of our liberation, we have touched healthcare services like never before in our State.”
“We have spent and we are spending to make sure that Rivers State becomes a health tourism State. As at today the Zonal Hospitals are almost 70% completed beyond the way we met them, and developing them to international standards”
“I believe that the only reason why this project is located in Rivers State is because of our investment in healthcare. They are seeing what we are doing and they believe that it will be right to partner with Rivers State.”
He commended UNICEF, the Federal Government of Nigeria and other partner agencies for siting the project in Rivers State and charged the community, leaders and traditional rulers in Eleme to protect the project assuring that his government will do everything to ensure that it is well secured and maintained for optimal use for the development of the sector.
“It is interesting that people from the South-East and other States from the South-South will be coming to access this facility, and you can only imagine the impact. You know what it means to have this Pressure Swing Oxygen Plant. Something that will generate oxygen knowing that the majority of our people today if there is one illness, it is respiratory illness. That is one ailment killing people and is associated with cardiac. Because of pollution and we are in an environment of pollution.”
Describing the project the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh noted that the facility was built by the United Nations Children’s Fund in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Canadian Government and IHS Towers.
She pointed out that the facility is the first medical grade oxygen plant for the use of not just the people of Rivers State but people of the neighbouring states of the South-South and the South-East of Nigeria.
Dr. Oreh noted that the oxygen plant has the capacity to produce up to 135 cylinders of oxygen in a 24 hour period which translates to 720,000 liters of oxygen produced by the plant on a daily basis and commended the donors as their efforts align with the commitment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in improving the health sector.
“It also means that 100 children with severe pneumonia can receive oxygen from this plant to save their lives and up to 50 to 60 adults with severe respiratory illness such as COVID-19 can benefit from the oxygen that is produced on a daily basis from this plant.”
The Commissioner further noted that the plant also has a new born unit which the United Nations Children’s Fund donated to the Rivers State Government as an annex to the Hospital in Eleme.
Speaking, the UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative,
Ms. Cristian Munduate, said the commissioning and handover of Pressure Swing (PS) Medical Oxygen Plant to the Government of Rivers State at the Eleme General Hospital is a significant milestone in their collective endeavor to improve health outcomes for the people of the state and Nigeria at large.
She said the Pressure Swing Absorption medical oxygen plant is more than just a facility as it stands as a beacon of hope, resilience, and the power of collaboration between UNICEF, Nigerian Government, the Government of Canada, IHS Towers and the Government of Rivers State and other invested stakeholders who have recognized the imminent need to address the gap in medical infrastructure.
Munduate stated that the plant will significantly boost the capacity of Eleme General Hospital and surrounding healthcare facilities to provide life-saving medical oxygen, and ensure that medical oxygen is readily available and accessible, reducing dependency on external supplies and ensuring that emergencies are swiftly and effectively managed.
She thanked Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his unwavering dedication to improving healthcare in Rivers State and requested that the State Government employ and deploy skilled healthcare professionals to the newly established level two newborn unit which is in the facility.
On his part, the Chief Medical Director, Hospital Management Board, Dr. Bright Ogbonda commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his investment in the health sector especially in motivating the work force for optimal performance.
He applauded Governor Fubara for the restoration of the Zonal Hospitals with ongoing massive reconstruction works and the approval for the recruitment of 1000 health workers and pleaded that he accept the Best Health Friendly Governor Award on him by the Board.
Earlier, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Brian Gokpa applauded Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his commitment to improving the health sector and liberating the State and assured the governor of the people’s support at all times.
