The Abia State Government has inaugurated and taken possession of the purpose-built Ndi Okereke Anam Primary Healthcare Centre, donated by Chief James Ume (IKEM ABAM) for the use of his Ndi Okereke Abam community in Arochukwu Local Government Area.
Also inaugurated are 30-unit purpose-built houses for the underprivileged and a church hall for the people of Idima Abam, all donated by Ume.
At the inauguration, the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, commended Ume for the gesture, noting that the projects align perfectly with his administration’s agenda of creating the right environment for the people.
The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu, said the projects are also consistent with his public-private partnership initiative geared towards making society better.
He challenged the beneficiaries of the facilities, especially the 30 housing units, to ensure that they are well taken care of.
He said, “This is what the government is looking for – you know – public-private partnership, all geared towards making society better.
“The community and its residents, who are also largely the beneficiaries, should take real possession and maintain these facilities.
“It’s their own. So, the era of treating what is considered government property with levity is gone.
“People should take care of them, protect them, and make sure they are well maintained at all times. The community should own those assets because they are assets to the communities”.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Uche, applauded the standard of the health centre, noting that the centre has about three multi -parameter monitors, 2 oxygen delivery devices and oxygen sources, modern laboratory, auto analysers, incubators, family planning clinic and other state- of- the-art equipment.
“Ndi Okereke Primary Healthcare Centre was conceptualised and built by UNUBIKO foundation, which is the brainchild of Chief James Umeh (IKE ABAM).
“Among the five PHCs planned to be retrofitted in Abam as Project Ekwueme, Ndị Okereke was identified by this philanthropist (Chief Umeh). And decided to support what the government is already doing in other parts of Abam.
“He gifted his people the level two primary health care centre. It’s well built. And it was done and equipped with the same standard as the Abia health centres.
“You have multi-parameter monitors of about three. You have a point-of-care ultrasound. You have a modern delivery room. Then you have male and female wards.
“You have an ultramodern laboratory, centrifuge, microscope, Incubators.
Then you have a well-equipped pharmacy. Then the family planning clinic. Already it has been functionalised. I mean, it’s already open to service delivery; it also has oxygen”, Uche added.
He called on other well-to-do in the society to help people at the grassroots to get registered in the informal sector of Health Insurance to enable them to access health care whenever they need attention, pointing out that the journey to health equity and universal coverage is not the responsibility of the government alone.
Earlier in his speech, Ume said he decided to carry out the projects as a way of helping to advance the lives of his people and in support of the developmental agenda of Governor Alex Otti.
Ume commended Otti for his infrastructural development in the state, including the Abam-Arochukwu Road and called for continuous support for the government.
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