Benue community comes alive as NGO donates clinic
The people of AwuapilaMbalagh in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State yesterday could not hide their joy as Aids Health Foundation (AHF) donated a Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) to the community.
Benue-Plateau Chronicle reports that the enthusiasm shown by the dancing women group only explained how meaningful the newly built facility meant to the community as it replaces the government’s Primary Health Centre built in the 1970s’
Country Programme Director of AHF Nigeria, Dr. Echey Ijezie, said “the project is a continuation of the effort of AHF to ensure that health infrastructure are optimal, which advance the goal of the organisation to get HIV/ AIDS services to everyone, especially, those in difficult to reach terrain”.
He said the facility comprised a pharmacy and dispensary unit, two consulting rooms, a rest room for both males and females, storage room, an M & E/Record room, a laboratory, and an expansive waiting room.
Ijezie added that the services at the clinic are free and encouraged the people of the area to come forth and use the facility.
“We believe in the people. This facility was built by AHF with the support of the state government which has always supported our efforts. AHF believes in ensuring that services get to everybody, especially, those that are hard to reach.
“This is what we do in all communities where we operate. The services are free and I plead that the services are accepted by the people,” the Director said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services in the state Dr. Emmanuel Eru, who commissioned the cinic, commended AHF for its intervention in HIV/AIDS program of the state.
Eru noted that the reduction of HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the state from 12 per cent to 5.3 per cent would not have been possible without efforts of organisations like AHF.
The commissioner advised the people to come for testing, care and treatment, stressing that the facility will save them the pains of travelling distances to access such services.
Eru appealed to the people not to allow the facility to be vandalised.
In his speech, the state’s Executive Secretary of Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Bem Ageda, disclosed that AHF has done a lot by helping the state government to reach the unreached communities, adding that a similar facility was constructed by the AHF in Gbajimba and Daudu in the past.
Ageda observed that when facilities for primary healthcare are put in place, it means the interventionists have the interest of communities at heart.
On his part, the Kindred Head of Mbaiwan, Chief Ahua Avanger, thanked AHF for providing the community with the facility saying that will serve them greatly and implored his subjects to come out for testing and assured of its protection.