Minister commends Rotary Club’s gesture to FCT healthcare delivery

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, has lauded the Rotary Club, Abuja Metro, for assisting the administration in bridging the gap in the demand for healthcare delivery among rural communities.

Aliyu made the commendation on Thursday in Abuja, at the inauguration and handing-over of a 10 -bed Basic and Type 11 Primary Healthcare Centre, valued at N22 million, donated to the FCTA by the Rotary Club.

The facility is basically to support healthcare delivery system in the territory.

Aliyu was represented at the occasion by the Acting Secretary of FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Iwot Ndaeyo.

She said that the administration would continue to cherish partnership and kind gestures as demonstrated by the club’s increasing efforts to positively impact on its host communities.

According to her, the facility located at Sauka, would serve over 35,000 indigenous people of Takushara, Brum, Wasa, Waru and Sauka in the Apo District of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

The minister noted that the donation of the healthcare centre was one of the club’s contributions to the development of society, and implored the benefiting communities to make good use of the facility to encourage the givers to do more.

Aliyu said that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) would continue to boost the existing healthcare facilities across the six Area Councils, to meet the high demand of residents in the health sector.

She dislosed that the administration had constructed an additional 18 primary healthcare centres with 12 more at various stages of completion.

“Let me assure you that the FCT Administration will continue to cherish this partnership and kind gesture which has been consequent upon the club’s increasing efforts to positively impact on its host communities.

“This healthcare centre donated to the administration is one of the club’s objectives to contribute to the development of society.

“I implore the benefiting communities to make good use of the facility to encourage the givers to do more.

“FCT has benefitted immensely from your wealth of experience, passion and focused contributions to eradicating the wild polio virus globally and strengthening routine immunisation programme.

“Our partnership with you, among others, has seen FCT becoming wild polio-free for over six years as the last case was confirmed in the first quarter of 2013.

“You have strengthened our PHC facilities, structures and system at Dutsen Garki and Piwoyi to mention a few,” Aliyu said.

Earlier, the President of Rotary Club Abuja Metro, Mr Omotunde Balogun, had explained that the choice of Sauka was based on the needs assessment carried out by the club.

Balogun said that the villagers requested for the construction of a clinic to enable pregnant women access health facilities.

He also said that the centre had a mini laboratory, adding that the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency had graciously assisted the club with beds, equipment, chairs, generating set and a motorcycle.

“In 2018, when we carried out needs assessment, the villagers requested for a clinic.

“According to them, pregnant women in labour were assisted on motorcycles and taken to the nearest functional clinic in Kabusa, which is about 10 kilometres away.

“Today, Rotary Club of Abuja Metro has built a 10-bed primary healthcare centre for the people of Sauka.

“The centre has a mini laboratory, and we have sunk a borehole, knowing fully well that the clinic cannot run without water,” she affirmed.