— To Expand Access to Free Healthcare in the state
By Obansa Ibrahim, Lokoja
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo is set to unveil a flagship healthcare intervention programme that will deliver free medical services to people in all parts of the state.
The Governor made this known while addressing members of the Nigeria Medical Association and other healthcare professionals who were at the government house in Lokoja on his invitation following the conclusion of a 3-day medical outreach in the state by the healthcare professionals in the state under the Nigeria Medical Association in Kogi State.
Speaking at the meeting which was an opportunity to express appreciation to the medical professionals on behalf of the state government for the success of the free medical outreach in the state, Governor Ododo said the flagship health train will comprise all categories of healthcare professionals that will visit different parts of the state to deliver interventions aimed at complementing secondary and primary healthcare service delivery in the state.
He reiterated his commitment to sustain investment in the health sector, stressing that the free medical outreach is in line with his campaign promise to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to the people of the state.
He restated his commitment to ensure that health sector remains the top priority of the administration.
According to Governor Ododo:
“a healthy society is a wealthy society. I will continue to support you in this exercise and to ensure that the free medical outreach is extended to our people in all parts of the state. I want you to count on my support as we work together to make the free medical outreach a flagship programme in our calendar of medical activities in the state so that we can make healthcare more accessible and affordable to our people.”
He called on medical practitioners in the state to sustain their support for the administration and expand the scope of their collaboration with the government through the state ministry of health.
In his remark, the state commissioner for health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adams commended the medical team for the successful conduct of the free medical outreach which he noted was a clear testament to the dedication of medical professionals working in Kogi State.
He equally commended Governor Ododo for the attention given to the welfare of healthcare professionals in the state and for providing the enabling environment for medical professionals to excel in the delivery of healthcare services to the people of the state.
Also speaking at the meeting, Dr David Aimila, the chairman of the committee of past chairmen of the NMA in Kogi State described the free medical outreach as a high powered intervention that delivered unprecedented outcomes in various fields of medicine and healthcare to people under a conducive working environment provided by the Kogi state government.
He praised Governor Ododo for the priority accorded the health sector and professionals by the administration.
On his part, Professor Solomon Avidime, Chief Medical Director, Reference Hospital Okene and host of the medical team applauded Governor Ododo for the health-friendly posture of the administration.
While expressing the readiness of Reference Hospital Okene to host many of such medical missions, he emphasized the importance of the free medical outreach to the government and the people of the state as it complements the free health insurance policy of the state government by bridging the gap in healthcare coverage across the state.