The Chairman of Omuma local government area of Rivers State, Promise Reginald has chided the previous administration for abandoning the health sector in the area for so long.
The Council boss who decried the deplorable state of the health sector during the flag-off of the construction of the Comprehensive Health Centre, Umuelechi last week Friday said the abandonment of the health sector has denied the people of Omuma access to quality medical services.
He said he actually wanted to build a befitting hospital but was later informed that as a Council they don’t have the legal backing to build hospitals which is the responsibility of the state and federal governments.
He assured that his administration will not hesitate to provide critical infrastructure required for the betterment of his people because he is deeply concerned about their welfare.
He lamented that for over 6 years no single project was commissioned by the previous administration but rather de-roofed some vital infrastructure and abandoned them.
His words: for many years we don’t have a functional hospital in Omuma, for those that served in the same capacity I found myself today refused to take the health of our people very serious.
The money meant for furnishing the hospital at Eberi was looted under the watch of the previous administration.
Hon. Promise further alleged that the money meant for equipping the hospital was embezzled by someone who claimed to be the leader of Omuma people and that the project never saw the light of the day.
He disclosed that the dilapidated health Center at Eberi has already been re-awarded and that the contractor will by this week move to site, harping on the importance of getting the project done at due time and appealed to host communities not to make any attempt of sabotaging any ongoing projects.
Hon. Promise reiterated that with the support of Omuma people, his 100 days in office will present meaningful projects to them.
The honourable Commissioner for Health, Rivers State, Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh assured the people that the State Primary Health Care Management Board will ensure they support the project in each phase in terms of its staffing, equipment, regulation of what happens at the health Center and everything.
Dr. Oreh who was represented by Prof. Green Kinikanwo, Executive Secretary, Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board, applauded the Council boss for embarking on such important project by bringing health to the doorsteps of the people of Omuma, where pregnant women would be having their safe delivery, immunization procedure would be done, children will no longer die of vaccine preventable illnesses.
And also thanked him for keying into the Vision of Governor Siminialayi Fubara in terms of Universal Health Coverage.
The Director of Works Omuma , Engr. Charles Nneji while giving a brief description of the project said the landscape is about 13,677 square meters (16 plots of land) and that the project will occupying a space of about 3,060 square meters (4 plots of land).
He further explained that the project will factor in so many modern facilities that will make it serve almost like a General hospital.
He added that the health Center will have a female general Ward, male general Ward, emergency unit, Scan unit, laboratory, pharmaceutical unit, and other facilities like Doctors quarter, Nurses quarter, security, solar energy power system.
He also stated that the project is aimed at improving the general well-being of Omuma people.
