A member of the House of Representatives Hon Solomon Maren has strengthened health facilities in Bokkos/Mangu constituency of Plateau state, which he represents.
The lawmaker, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) serving his first term at the House, made his constituents happy when he donated medical facilities to a hospital in Bokkos Local Government Area as well as to Mangu General Hospital in Mangu Local Government Area.
Hon. Maren said, “My decision to supply these health facilities to these two hospitals is for two basic reasons; first, it is part of my free medical outreach for my people, secondly it is to uplift these hospitals because the last time I came to these hospitals for a free medical outreach I was not impressed with the state of facilities in the hospitals, they were in such deplorable conditions that if left that way they will not be able to deliver quality health care to rural people.
“You remember, during my last medical outreach when we carried out surgery on 148 persons, the facilities at the hospitals were obviously inadequate for a comprehensive medical programme that I intended. And I vowed to myself that before I return here fo another free medical outreach, I must do something about the poor facilities in these hospitals. Today, I’m here with those facilities to equip the hospitals because the health status of people of my constituency is important to me.”
The lawmaker a complete set of metallic sterilisers used for sterilising surgical equipment. Until now, the hospital in Bokkos lacked the equipment, a situation that compelled its management to often take surgical kits to Jos or Pankshin for sterilising.
Other facilities donated were stethoscopes, blood pressure monitoring machines in each wards complementing the only one in the cottage hospital. There were other items donated by the lawmaker, including mattresses.
Hon Maren also kicked off his youth empowerment programme by providing a take-off grant for 150 youths whom he had earlier trained in skill acquisition in Gombe, Ibadan and Ilorin.
The lawmaker said, “The youths are the working class in any society, and for them to be useful to the society, they need to be empowered, hence I sent them for skills training outside the state. But the training alone will not be enough; they need capital to start their business. With the startup fund I’m providing for them today, these youths have become self-employed. This is just the second batch because in 2016 over 300 youths benefited from a similar programme. Another group of youths will soon be sent on training outside the state”
The beneficiaries were trained in bakery, weaving, knitting, juice making, food preservation, fashion design, tailoring and hairdressing, among others.
Senator Jonah David Jang, who witnessed the event, urged Governor Simon Lalong to look into his administration’s handover notes, which he said, contained the list of all equipment needed for all upgrades and renovation of general and cottage hospitals in the state.
Senator Jang said, “This is not an issue of politics anymore, it is time to look into the pain of our people. I urge Governor Simon Lalong to looked into our handover notes, it has the list of every equipment that is to be procured for all the upgraded and renovated hospitals in the state as time was not by our side to finish these projects.”
The Chief medical surpritendant of Bokkos Cottage hospital, Dr. Geoffrey Kumven represented by Metron Kemza Shendam thanked the lawmaker for the gesture, appealing that the cottage hospital should be connected to the national grid for effective utilization of the donated equipments. The hospital is also in need of functional toilets and power generating sets.
At the Mangu General Hospital, the medical superintendent, Dr. Daplet Ezra thanked the lawmaker for coming to their rescue, adding that he had, at some points, bought some of those equipment out of his own pocket.
