Nigeria has uncovered the blueprint to construct N21 billion medical infrastructure within the South-south geo-political zone as an intervention to improve public healthcare within the region.
Mr. Boss Mustapha, who is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, divulged the proposal during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Oil and Gas Industry COVID-19 Medical Infrastructure targeted for South-south geo-political zone in Akwa Ibom State.
Scannews24 gathered the project will include the building of an Intensive Care Unit at Immanuel General Hospital, Eket Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
The infrastructure was funded by the NNPC/MPN JV as a part of the Oil and Gas industry intervention within the South-South, regards the case of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the initial launching event on Saturday, 18 2020, the Task Force Chairman said that the intervention was inline with the continuing federal government step to prevent the pandemic via the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
He pointed out that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 lined three key thematic areas together with provision of medical consumables, deployment of logistics, and in-patient support system and supply of medical infrastructure.
In his words: “The total commitment to this initiative amounts to $58 million (N21 billion), out of which 53 percent of the total sum is earmarked for the construction of permanent medical infrastructure across the geopolitical zones.”
He further noted that the drive was carried out to help the nationwide healthcare delivery amenities and consolidate the collective national objective in battling the COVID-19 pandemic and its horrible impact.
According to Mustapha, who was represented by Mr. Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, said in view of the ravages caused by the COVID -19 pandemic on the crucial sectors of our national financial system, the Nigeria Oil & Gas Industry under the leadership of the NNPC launched into an industry huge combined intervention initiative to fight the pandemic and its attendant impact.
He noted that the collaborating firms would enforce the project utilizing their internal established processes in an effort to guarantee transparency and accountability.
He stated that the responsibilities under the initiative have been collected in kind and a transparent and clear governance framework that was organized for amassing and distributing the commitments throughout the nation, in alignment with the processes and procedures of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
The SGF explained that the commissioning had put the country's oil and gas industry is very good stead to hand down an endurable impact and legacy on the healthcare delivery system in Akwa Ibom.
He noted that NNPC and its partners under the initiative wouldn't rest on their oars in striving to disseminate consignments of medical consumables, equipment, and logistics amenities throughout all of the states in the country.
He said work had begun on the development of a typical permanent infectious disease hospital in Bayelsa State, Imo State, and other areas across the nation’s geopolitical zones.
“All these are over and above the regular social investments through various corporate social responsibility initiatives by NNPC and the participating Companies,” he stated.
He complimented the Akwa Ibom Government and its people for benefiting from this intervention programmes and thanked the NNPC, Exxon Mobil, Nigeria LNG and other oil corporations for their thoughtfulness, dedication and support.
Also talking, Mr Paul McGrath, Managing Director, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited bemoaned the devastating state of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and the whole world.
“In these trying times, the NNPC/MPN JV seeks to re-emphasise the high priority we place on health and safety as the core foundational values of our corporate culture and operations. We like to say we are in the business of managing risks, and there is no risk greater than the risk to health.
“So, we must all work collaboratively with our industry partners and other stakeholders, whom we are convinced share in this belief, in combating and, ultimately, defeating this pandemic. The task at hand calls for the sort of partnership we are witnessing here today,” McGrath stated.
Content created and supplied by: Scannews (via Opera News )
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