The Plateau State government on Thursday received medical equipment and consumables from some foreign partners worth $400,000 to boost healthcare delivery in the State.
The medical items were donated by Widows and Orphans International USA, with the support of the US-Nigeria Law Group, and the Solomon and Mary Lar Foundation.
The State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang who received the items on behalf of the State at the premises of the State Specialists Hospital in Jos stated, “I sincerely thank you for this noble initiative. Your efforts in mobilizing these essential health assets to us are deeply appreciated. Our role was logistics from the airport to the Plateau Specialist Hospital.
“We are making connections, reaching out, trying to rebrand Plateau from the wrong testimony they have given us over the years. Jos is the most peaceful city in northern Nigeria, the time to invest in Plateau is now, the time to partner with us to rebuild Plateau is now, we are ready, the environment is conducive, and the people are receptive.
“The efforts to mobilize health assets for us are commendable. We met the health sector on its knees, and we are looking forward to the partnership that will rebuild the Plateau State Hospital, one of our legacies in tourism will be built around health, the weather is healing, and the facilities must be attractive.
“We are arranging to establish a Medical Faculty at Plateau State University in Bokkos, alongside a state-of-the-art Teaching Hospital to complement the Jos University Teaching Hospital. Investment in medical education is very critical…”
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cletus Shurkuk added, “This came as the result of the commitment of the governor to the health sector. This is one of the many benefits to the State as the result of the governor’s visit to the USA. This will open the door for more donations from our partners. We appreciate our partners for the feats. The items will be used to improve healthcare on the Plateau.”
In a remark, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Gabriel Dewan, assured that the Legislature would support the Executive arm to build a secure, peaceful, and united Plateau, where its diversity is celebrated not only within the country but beyond.
Chief Technical Adviser to the Governor on Strategic Linkages, Development Partnerships, and Diaspora Engagement, Manji Wilson, stressed, “One of the trips we went on made it possible for Widows and Orphans.org, US-Nigeria Law group, the Solomon and Mary Lar Foundation to give these. The items here are worth $400,000, the first of many to come. These will be distributed according to the needs of our hospitals.”
Earlier, Rev. William Devlin of Widows and Orphans International, Emmanuel Ogebe of the US-Nigeria Law Group, and Beni Lar of the Solomon and Mary Lar Foundation, all lauded Governor Mutfwang’s efforts in restoring confidence so international investors can come to the State.
Devlin noted, “These medical supplies are the beginning of many more supplies to hospitals in the State. We are grateful to partner with the State, we measure results in our work so this is the first of the many engagements we will have with the State…”
Ogebe added, “When the governor came to the US and told us about the needs of the hospitals in the State, we got involved because of his passion to make this donation.”
Lar maintained, “The governor is bringing prosperity and development to the State, we have worked for humanitarian assistance in Plateau State. We thank the governor for giving international investors confidence in the State. We will continue to partner to do more.”
– Culled from the Vanguard newspaper
