By Musa Tanimu Nasidi
The Kogi Government Tuesday took delivery of 21 additional life support ambulances it procured to boost healthcare delivery services to residents of the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Yahaya Bello, Onogwu Muhammed, in a statement in Lokoja, the State’s capital urged citizens to enrol in the free ‘Bello Healthcare Plus’ to live a healthier life.
Mohammed explained: “The purchase of additional 21 ambulances is part of Gov. Yahaya Bello’s significant steps toward enhancing the healthcare delivery system in the state.”
He said that the additional 21 life support ambulances were for distribution to rural hospitals across the local government areas.
“The Toyota Hiace High Roof Ambulances are equipped with various features such as patient and driver cabin intercom, oxygen supply system, portable and rechargeable suction machines, first aid boxes with emergency drugs, fire extinguishers, and wash hand basins.
“The buses are also equipped with electrical systems, vinyl flooring, wall-mounted sphygmomanometers and flexible examination lights,” he said.
He said that during an inspection of the basic life-support ambulances, Bello urged citizens and residents of Kogi State to enrol in the Bello Healthcare Plus initiative, which was completely free of charge.
The CPS said that the governor emphasised that his administration would continue to prioritise the well-being of the people, as “a healthy population is crucial to meaningful development.”
He added that ‘Bello Healthcare Plus’ package includes; the free distribution of delivery kits, postpartum haemorrhage packs, hypertensive packs, episiotomy packs, and free maternal/newborn healthcare services to pregnant women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Mohammed said: “Only last December, former President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Reference Hospital in Okene which experts considered to be among the world-class healthcare facilities in the country.”
He said that the state government had also commissioned several medical facilities in various regions of the state and introduced the Kogi State Health Insurance Scheme that provides free healthcare services to the people of the state.
According to him, the Kogi Care Intervention has been another significant achievement of the Governor Bello-led administration at enhancing healthcare accessibility to citizens of the State.
