By Stanley Onyekwere
Achana Legacy Foundation, a humanitarian organisation based in the United States of America, has donated boimedical equipment worth millions of Naira to boost Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the Territory.
Some of the items donated include Electric, Hill-Rom, Advanta worth $2,800.00, CV Arts, CV Split, CSR Wrap worth $900.00, Dharma Relief Face Masks with Earloops worth $1,080.00, Monitor worth $2,594.00, Vacuum Regulator worth $1,074.95, Syringes, 50cc, Catheter Tip worth $4,400.00, Pressure Tubing, assorted worth $3,200.00, and Blanket Warming Cabinet Single Chamber worth $1,939.00.
Others include Stryker, Secure 2, w/mattress worth $3,136.40, ECG Monitor, w/stand worth $3,088.86, Hemorrhoid worth $2,669.80, IV Line Connectors, Needless Luer Access Device worth $1,196.16, N95 Cone-Type Respirator worth $1,200.00, Video Camera Console SK worth $3,995.00, Eletrosurgical Generator worth $3,462.00 amongst other assorted non-pharmaceutical items.
Receiving the items on behalf of the administration, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, thanked the Foundation for responding to the clarion call by the administration for the development of primary healthcare centres in the nation’s capital.
Aliyu revealed that at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Administration reached out to well meaning Nigerians in diaspora to come to its aid by equipping primary healthcare centres in rural communities.
The Minister, however, noted that the equipment donated by the foundation would not only save the administration huge sums of money, but would also go a long way to boost primary healthcare delivery in the Territory.
While calling on other Nigerians to be patriotic as demonstrated by Foundation, the minister maintained that good governance is a collective responsibility.
According to her: “The FCT for a long time has been yearning for such support from Nigerians in the diaspora. We thank the foundation for coming to our aid by donating three (3) 40ft. containers filled with biomedical equipment to the Territory.
“There is much more we can all do to make Nigeria better than clamoring for sessasion. If all Nigerians can contribute their quarters, only then we will come to the realization that nation building is not the responsibility of government alone. This donation will no doubt boost primary healthcare in the FCT.”
A representative of the Foundation, Mr. Mustapha Salihu, who presented the items to the FCTA, revealed that the foundation has carried out numerous humanitarian services across African countries particularly in Nigeria.
He also revealed that the Foundation had donated medical equipment to states like Bauchi, Kwara and Kogi with a view to cushioning the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing that the donation would be replicated in other states of the federation.
According to him, “we stand on the philosophy that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation and before we can attain wealth we have to attain wellness as a people. More importantly, we have to join hands with government seeing that we are going through a pandemic.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Ag. Executive Secretary of FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo, described the gesture as the highest single donations to boost FCT Primary Healthcare Centres in the past 30 years, while pledging to put the items to good use.
