Health

Benue Governor, Samuel Ortom, Inaugurates Research Centre On HIV/AIDS (Photos)

Published

7 years ago

November 19, 2016

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has inaugurated a research centre on malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS constructed in partnership with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.

He also donated six ambulances and thousands of exercise books and drugs purchased through the same partnership to six LGAs in the state.

Performing the ceremonies separately, the governor stated that the centre would provide the information necessary for government to formulate and implement policies that would reduce the diseases prevalent in the state.

He expressed delight that the although the project was initiated by the Federal Government under the 2014/2015 MGDs funding during the last administration, it has been completed through the efforts of his administration.

Ortom thanked the federal government for choosing Benue among the North Central states to site the project, assuring that his administration would support the research centre to achieve the purpose it was established.

He, however, appealed to the federal government to provide the necessary fittings and additional equipment that would make the research centre a real specialist facility.

He equally charged the staff of the teaching hospital to live up to expectation by providing the best service to patients and carry out research that would be useful to medical knowledge.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Dr. Magdaline Dura, appreciated the governor for his efforts in attracting projects that would benefit the people.

Meamwhile, six local governments in Benue State have benefitted from the SDGs, through the provision of referral ambulances, drugs and exercise books.

The councils are Agatu, Oju, Ohimini, Tarka, Gboko and Ushongo.

Handing over the items to the benefitting Local Governments, Governor Ortom warned them not to use the items for commercial purposes but for the reasons they were meant for or face sanctions.

He stated that the commitment of his administration to providing quality health care to the people informed his decision to secure a N5.5 billion facility to pay as matching grant to SDGs and the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, which made it possible for them to provide the items and huge investment in the health and education sectors.

He stated that already, 18 primary health centers across the state were at various stages of completion under the 2015 MDGs/SDGs with modern equipment, furniture and consumables being provided.

In the area of water and sanitation, Governor Ortom said 18 solar powered boreholes have been completed and put to use in different part of the state while several others are undergoing construction in various places.

In her remark, the Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs and NEPAD, Dr Magdalene Dura thanked the Governor for timely release of counterpart funds and assured that more of SDGs programmes would be executed across the twenty three Local Government areas.