Kogi govt to upgrade health institutions

Over N1 billion has been set aside by Kogi state government to upgrade health institutions across the state under its Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SUREP).

Governor Idris Wada stated this yesterday in Lokoja at the opening of ‘Team 10’ free cleft and facial deformity surgery programme and three years of existence of the Cleft Care Foundation.
Wada, who was represented by his deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, said the repositioning of general and cottage hospitals, through massive rehabilitation, was the present administration’s resolve towards improving the health needs of the people, particularly at the grassroots.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustain the state Free Rural Health Programme and its resolve to continue to make the state a polio-free society.
The governor, however, appealed to patients with cleft and crania-facial challenges not to be ashamed, but to take the advantage of the medical services to get treated.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the state Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, Dr Paul Ahmadu, said the free surgery offered by Cleft Care Foundation was designed to bring succour to Nigerians that “are suffering from facial deformities.”

In his speech, the Director of Cleft Care Foundation, Dr Seidu Bello, said several Nigerians, due to ignorance, poverty, inaccessible health care and sometimes cultural beliefs suffered untold hardship caused by facial deformities.
He, therefore, called on indigenes of the State with facial deformities to take advantage of the free surgical care offered by the Foundation to get themselves treated.