International Breweries commissions N44m ultra-modern healthcare facility in Port Harcourt
In a bid to ensure efficient and effective healthcare delivery in Rivers State, the International Breweries PLC (IB) has commissioned an ultramodern healthcare facility in Oginigba, Port Harcourt.
IB, a member of the global largest brewer, AnheuserBuschinbev (AB Inbev) invested N44million to build, furnish and equip the healthcare centre which will be subsequently managed by the Rivers State Primary Health care Management Board.
The Oginigba healthcare centre is a state of the art health facility equipped with medical facilities such as infant incubators and warmers, nebulizer, anaesthesia machine, suction machine, delivery beds, X- ray new box, oxygen concentrator, facilities for the resident doctor, and auto clave machine amongst others.
Otunba Michael Daramola, corporate affairs director, IB said that the commissioning was yet another testament to the organisation’s commitment to an effective and efficient Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR) system, which the company does in partnership with its host communities.
Daramola said that the dream of bringing people together for a better world as espoused by the company drives the vision to support communities and the people of Nigeria in five CSR interventions areas: empowerment, education, health, infrastructural support, and responsible drinking.
“The dream of bringing people together for a better world led to our vision of supporting the Rivers State government to provide this primary healthcare facility in Oginigba to cater for the people of the community and environs,” he said.
“With this project, we are also demonstrating our contributions to the United Nations SDGS goal 3,6 and 9,” he further said.
“Before this project, we renovated the Oginigba Primary School borehole which currently provides potable water to the entire community,” he stated.
He added that IB is also supporting youth empowerment initiative in the state as eight youth has received a total sum of N7.9 million as grants from the IB’S Foundation under the Kickstart Youth Empowerment Programme.
Daramola stated that the organisation is also driving responsible drinking and sensitisation campaigns in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to stem the menace of underage and binge drinking in communities and among consumers in Port Harcourt.
Nyesome Wike, Executive Governor of Rivers State, in his speech, commended IB for responding swiftly to the medical need of the community after the state government provided the site and location for the healthcare facility.
Wike, who was represented by Kaniye Ebeku, Commissioner for Education gave the assurance that the government would continue to provide the enabling environment to support the business operations of corporations like IB that are complementing the state government’s efforts at improving the lives of its citizens.