PROF. GREG IBE GIVES SUCCOUR TO HELPLESS AS HE OFFSETS MEDICAL BILLS AT FMC, UMUAHIA

Chinwe Ugele, Umuahia

About twenty patients at the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia were on Wednesday , the 29th of July released from the custody of the health facility after weeks of being unable to offset their hospital bills.

These persons who were patients in Okpara ward – a maternity ward and Kirk ward were held back by the management after they were discharged for failure to pay the bills.

The chancellor of Gregory University and gubernatorial hopeful in Abia state, Prof. Greg Ibeh learnt about the situation and came to the rescue.

He was with his entourage at the facility where he personally met the patients. He also donated the sum of N500,000 to the patients in Okpara ward who were yet to be discharged.

The academic who announced that the first programme on his manifesto was accessible health care delivery for all, said his health care programme would commence in July across the state. Prof. Ibe said he would work together with the federal medical centre, Umuahia to move from hospital to hospital in every part of the state.

On how he intends to handle the capital intensive programme which will include heart surgery, Orthopaedic care and more, he said he intends to bring foreign collaborators who would bring both manpower and funds to push the project.

According to him, his party’s slogan is “Onye aghala nwanne ya,”

He decried the pressure that the tertiary facility in the state is undergoing due to absence of functional primary and secondary health facilities across the state, but assured that upon assumption of office as governor, all that would be addressed.

He intends to put in place a health care insurance that will cater to the health needs of the citizens as well as free medi-care for the aged from 70 years old.

He expressed disappointment that Abia state University Teaching Hospital which he built as the contractor had to lose accreditation owing to poor facilities there. He said the ABSUTH condition would be one his most critical agenda in the early stage of his government and recounted that the state government was yet to pay him the remaining contract cost to the tune of N160M.

Member representing Aba South State constituency in the state Assembly, Hon. Obinna Ichita who also accompanied the APGA gubernatorial candidate to the hospital, said it was sad that the governor was insensitive to leave all the burning issues in the state to go to Turkey on vacation. He said but for FMC, the state would have been brought to its knees with dilapidated health structures.

He advised the Abia citizens to “do away with political brigands .

In his contribution, the state party chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Rev. Austin Ehiemere observed that Prof. Ibe was not what he described as “Emergency Philanthropist”. He said he had always been known for such gestures several years ago, which distinguishes him from the other politicians who only become kind to score political points. Rev. Ehiemere urged the citizens of voting age to ensure they got their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) to elect credible candidates.

For his part, Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Prof. Onyebuchi thanked Prof. Greg Ibe for his magnanimity towards the patients and hospital

some of the beneficiaries of the bill payment, like Comfort Okoro and Chinyere Nwankwo were full of praises for Prof Ibe for coming to their aid.