Delta doctors in diaspora donate drugs, equipment for rural healthcare

MEMBERS of the Delta Doctors in Diaspora, have donated medical equipment and several quantity of drugs estimated at over 5million Naira to boost the state government Free Rural Healthcare Scheme programme.

Delta Doctors in Diaspora, a non governmental organizatiomn based in Atlanta U.S.A, made the donation through their President, Dr Isioma Okoba, who was in Delta State, few days ago the purpose.

A statement by Mr. Frank-White on behalf of the group, noted that the items donated include blood sugar measuring equipment, blood pressure measuring equipment, Cholestotol assessment kits and drug estimated at over 5million Naira. Making the donation at the flag-off of the free rural health care scheme at Orhoakpor in Ethiope East Local Government area, the president of the group, Dr.Okobah said the gesture was part of their support to the state government in order to ensure the success of the programme.

Dr. Okobah said their mission was to ensure a better health for all Deltans and commended the state government for the initiative. She reaffirmed the group's resolve to partner with the Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan led administration to promote health care service delivery in the state adding that the group would organize health feista for rural communities in December to further give added impetus to the current effort at boosting the health needs of rural dwellers.

The Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Otumara, while receiving the items, commended the Delta Doctors in the Diaspora for supporting the scheme. Dr.Otumara enjoined the group to keep the flag flying stressing that with their collaborative effort the dreams of the state government at improving the health of all Deltans would be realized.

The Commissioner appealed to rural dwellers to avoid patronizing quacks in seeking medical assistance pointing out that the rural health scheme was primarily meant to bring health care to the grass roots described the program as a people-oriented and without political influence.

Koyaya advised beneficiaries of the program to make judicious use of loans given to them under the program so as to enhance and improve their living standard. She said loans obtained under the program should be repaid within one year.

Vanguard

November 20th,2008

Delta govt vows to eradicate poverty

THE Executive Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Micro Credit, Dr. Antonia Ashiedu has restated the commitment of the State Government to stamp out poverty from all parts of the state, while insisting that one of the ways poverty could be eradicated was by the creation of new wealth through systematic development of human capital.

Ashiedu who was speaking yesterday at Patani while presenting certificates to over 1000 persons in 115 cluster groups, said the Micro Credit Programme was part of the strategies the state government has put in place to facilitate its desire to transform the socio-economic status of Deltans, especially the very poor ones.

While urging politicians to stay out of the programme, she reiterated that the programme was not meant for political settlement. She said the programme was meant for the common man who was desirous to do one form of business or the other but had no money to pursue it. Her words: "You don't need any politician to recommend for loan under this programme.

All you need do is to go to any of the partnering Micro Finance Banks in the State to obtain a form." and the form is being issued free of charge. "I tell you that if your form is well completed, you will certainly get the loan, but your line of chosen business must genuine," she further explained.

Ashiedu emphasized that the program was aimed at equipping Deltans economically, and urged the beneficiaries to spread the gospel of the program to their friends and family members.

According to the Executive Assistant, the program was a continuous one and appealed to youths of the state to take advantage of the program to develop themselves against future economic challenges. Earlier in her address, the Managing Director, Broadbased Micro Finance Bank, Mrs. Mary Koyaya.

Vanguard

November 20th, 2008

Delta prepares traditional medicine practitioners to meet global standards

DELTA State government is organising a training workshop for traditional medicine practitioners, even as the ongoing free rural health scheme which kicked off last week has witnessed over 20 surgical operations undertaken by a team of doctors.

Vanguard gathered that no fewer than 250 traditional medicine practitioners across the state would be at the six-day training workshop commencing on the first of next month. Speaking to our reporter in Asaba, the Consultant engaged to package the training, Mr. Fidelis Olisa said the training "is aimed at preparing the practitioners to prepare their products to meet the standard of the global traditional medicine trade and would be held in each of the three senatorial zones of the state".

The programme oraganised by Human Assets Centre Lagos in collaboration witht he Delta Traditional Medicine Board which has its theme 'Standardizaton and preservaton of traditional medicine practice in Nigeria' is expected to draw resource persons from the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency with professors of Biotechnology from University of Lagos and University of Benin delivering lectures.

Meanwhile, an Ophthalmologist and Director in the State Ministry of Health Dr. Gloria Iferife said that over twenty various surgical operations have been undertaken within the first three days of the free rural health scheme. She told reporters that the programme was well packaged to cater for all degree of operations.

The exercise is still ongoing with the team of doctors moving from one local government health centre to the other.

Vanguard

November 20th, 2008

We Can't Sell Petrol At N50 - FG

It is simply not possible to sell fuel at N50 per litre, the government has flatly argued, despite the lower price of crude on the international market, which should benefit consumers.

Part of the reason, advanced on Wednesday, is that the government would spend about N1.2 trillion to subsidise pump price this year alone. The bright news, nonetheless, is that the commodity will be available during the Christmas and New Year festivities, going by the word of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Minister of State for Energy (Petroleum), Odein Ajumogobia, who made the first point, said consumers cannot enjoy the benefit of the reduction in price on the international market because the deregulation of the petroleum sector was not agreed to by Nigerians when the price was high.

He admitted to reporters after Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja that the landing cost of fuel imports has reduced to N50 per litre even though the pump price the government fixed last year remains at N70. "We cannot eat our cake and have it; we agreed with Labour last year that the pump price will be N70. We have a regulated market for PMS (petrol). It is something that we are looking at seriously and we will take a decision about it very soon.

"We can't enjoy the benefit of deregulation because it is only AGO (diesel) that is deregulated. PMS and kerosene are still regulated. We need to take a holistic view of the sector and see how we can put all petroleum products in one basket, so that as the prices go down in the international market, they'll also go down locally".

However, the implication of that is that if the international prices of petroleum products go up, we'll also have to pay more locally. We need to look at the situation holistically and find a solution," Ajumogobia said. The assurance of stable fuel supply was given by NNPC Group Managing Director, Abubakar Yar'Adua, regardless of the fact that "the Kaduna Refinery has been shut down for the TAM (turn around maintenance). "The TAM project would last for approximately 60 days.

The temporary closure of the refinery would not lead to scarcity of petroleum products, as adequate arrangements were in place to ensure availability, especially during the forthcoming festivities. "Some new refineries are expected to come on-stream in no distant future and these will make significant contributions to the refined product pools." Yar'Adua also spoke of the NNPC collaborating with the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) to train about 2,500 welders to raise local content in the oil and gas industry.

The NNPC achieved the 45 per cent local content target in 2006, and efforts are on to hit a target of 70 per cent in 2010, he added. The disclosure of the N1.2 trillion fuel subsidy was made by Oil and Gas Implementation Committee (OGIC) Secretary, Bello Gusau, at a workshop in Abuja that was organised for energy correspondents by the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).

He said N600 billion had been spent on subsidy by June this year. He regretted that the refineries, pipelines and depots remain in bad shape with under capacity utilisation, making Nigeria to depend on fuel imports for 80 per cent of daily demand.

Daily Independent

November 20th, 2008