Folks from communities in Egbema/Gbaramatu kingdoms, during the week, took to singing and frenetic dancing as two cottage hospitals were inaugurated and handed over to the Delta State government to end stillbirths, maternal mortality and others in that axis of Warri South West Local Government Area.
The cottage hospitals, each sited centrally in riverine Tsekelewu and Oporoza to serve each kingdom, were built by the Egbema-Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation (EGCDF).
EGCDF, sponsored by Chevron Nigeria Ltd/Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is a regional development initiative for Ijaw communities for the implementation of the Chevron’s Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU).
Handing over the two cottage hospitals on Tuesday and Wednesday at Tselelewu and Oporoza to the Delta State government, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA), Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL), Mr Esimaje Brikinn, lauded the leadership of EGCDF for its resolve in fulfilling the spirit and objectives of the GMoU.
Brikinn, who was represented by the Area Manager, CNL Warri office, Engr Sam Daibo, also serenaded the successful partnership among EGCDF, Delta State govt, CNL/NNPC JV and other stakeholders in the execution of the hospitals and other projects to improve the quality of life of the people in the communities.
He commended the support of the state government and traditional councils of the two kingdoms for creating an enabling environment for operations and activities of CNL and NNPC which has enhanced the implementation of the GMoU model and other social investment programmes.
“We believe that our business success is tied to the progress and prosperity of the people we collaborate with and the communities where we work.
“Everywhere we work, we demonstrate ethical, environmental-responsible, safe and respectful business practices.
“Our desire is to continue to have an open, honest and transparent relationship with the government and the communities where we operate,” Brikinn noted.
He added that an improvement on the GMoU concept called GMoU+ has been assisting the company to monitor and evaluate the impact of the GMoU on host communities and focuses on business development and economic empowerment programmes.
According to Brikinn, CNL has invested over N20.6 billion in the execution of roughly 600 projects and programmes in its area of operations in line with the GMoU prescriptions since 2005.
Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Dr Tam Brisbi, at the two-day event, while receiving the two cottage hospitals, commended all stakeholders for a good job.
According to him, “Okowa administration in all the 25 local government areas of the state and has strived to ensure that no part of Delta State is left out.
“This is one government that has taken development to the part of Delta State that before now people would have said because of the terrain they cannot do certain things.
ALSO READ:Oyo govt commence N650 health insurance sensitisation
“Right now, we are talking about the construction of health facilities, we want to thank the executives of the EGCDF for being very prudent with the resources that they have been entrusted with,” Hon Brisbi noted.
On how the cottage hospitals will be effectively run to deliver the much-needed services to the people, the Chief of Staff said the hospitals have been co-opted into the Delta State Contributory Health Scheme, a health insurance programme headed by Dr Ben Nkechika.
The scheme, he said, was designed to make free qualitative Medicare available to children under five, pregnant women and elders above 65, while those not in these categories were expected to contribute just an annual N7,000 which can be paid in bits over a year to enjoy primary to a tertiary healthcare system.
“You can also access health care services and facilities without paying any more money.
“This service does not restrict this to a hospital, if you are referred to the central hospital or the general hospital for better care, the service covers you and you still don’t have to pay,” he disclosed.
Hon. Brisbi further disclosed that services under the health insurance scheme is a private-public partnership arrangement between the state government on one hand and Toronto Health Management Group and PharmAcess Foundation on the other.
The medical director of Toronto Medical Nigeria, based in Anambra State, Abuja and other parts of the country, Prince Emeka Eze, said his group has enough competent personnel to give a proper and highest level health care delivery in partnership with the state government.
“So in this hospital, we are going to be giving primary health care and secondary health care to every citizen of this community.
“We have the competence and the skill; we have the personnel; we have the medical doctors we have a team of four doctors who will be working 24 hours and when one is tired, another will take over.
“We are going to be running all sorts of sections including caesarean sections. So all the deaths of young ones that used to be experienced in this community, has come to an end.
“Because when they come here, they will see nurses and medical personnel and doctors that have the ability God has given us to save lives and that is why we are here.
“We are here to put life in this hospital and through the help of God, give good health to the people of this community,” he enthused.
Meanwhile, executive chairman of EGCDF, Comrade Jude Ebitimi Ukori, while speaking at Tsekelewu and Oporoza at the ceremonies, said the prolonged quest for quality health care delivery for his people has finally been accomplished after 20 years of conception.
He disclosed that although the CNL/NNPC JV provided N200 million for the two projects, the EGCDF has spent N596 million in bringing the facilities to their present level.
Ukori, who commended the Delta State government, CNL/NNPC JV and other stakeholders for the success of the projects, detailed the facilities to consist of the hospital buildings, doctors quarters, nurses quarters, junior staff quarters, potable water supply, electricity generating plant, perimeter fencing, furniture and several medical equipments.
He thanked the people of Egbema and Gbaramatu kingdoms for their support in providing an enabling environment but further urged them to eschew all forms of troubles during and after the elections as well as safeguard the facilities of CNL/NNPC JV in their domains.
Elated peres (monarchs) of Egbema and Gbaramatu kingdoms, HRM Gold Oro Tiemo Bini Pere 111, and HRM Oboro-Gbaraun 11, Aketekpe, Agadagba, separately at the events, lauded CNL/NNPC JV, the state government, executive of EGCDF and members of their kingdoms for the success of the projects.
ALSO READ: Ecstasy as Chevron/NNPC JV inaugurates N382.6m projects in Egbema, Gbaramatu kingdoms
“I’m, therefore, overwhelmed with joy that our age-long desire has come to fulfilment today, through the collective efforts of EGCDF, CNL/NNPC JV, Delta State government,” Agadagba of Egbema Kingdom noted.
They urged the sponsors to regularly upgrade the health facilities while assuring the hospital management and the state government of their commitment to providing a conducive environment atmosphere for a smooth operation.
A representative of the women folk and Gender Advocacy Officer of EGCDF, Mrs Clementina Eferusuoa, described the event as a very important day to the people especially the women and children of the two kingdoms.
“The impact the hospital is going to have on the women are numerous because the women are going to benefit from this hospital.
“The pregnant ones will be receiving their treatment here even some of them will give birth here and they will have good treatment in this hospital.
“So, for them to travel down to Sapele for medical treatment will be a thing of the past for them.
“Now that this hospital has been built for them, I believe that they are going to make use of it judiciously and it’s going to have a positive impact on the people of this community,” overwhelmed Eferusuoa averred.
Tribune Online, however, gathered that people living in Egbema Kingdom, before now, usually travelled three hours on the water to access medical facilities in Sapele or Warri.
As a result, women were giving birth to their babies through traditional birth attendants with its health hazards of stillbirths and deaths of mothers during deliveries, but now free or at a very low fee under the state’s contributory health insurance scheme, which will reverse the trend through the completion of the newly built hospitals.
Folks from various communities of the two kingdoms expressed their heartfelt joy and appreciations through cultural performances by various cultural groups and general conviviality, but further solicited the provision of potable water and electricity to further improve their wellbeing.
and then