As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), has renovated the Basic Health Care Centre at Lanwa in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Speaking at the commissioning of the project on Monday, Bello Hassan, the Managing Director of NDIC explained that the project was among many projects being sponsored by Corporation.
Hassan, represented at the event by Chima Onyechere, the Zonal Controller, NDIC, Ilorin informed that as far back as 1995, the corporation has instituted an endowment fund for several health institutions in the country and made generous donations through corporation’s project-based funding scheme.
“This initiative is part of the corporation’s pursuance of its corporate social responsibility with a view to providing assistance towards the enhancement of the health sector, and to move the country forward on the path of social and economic development,” he said.
Hassan observed that most of the basic health institutions in Nigeria lack infrastructural facilities resulting in poor health standards, pointing out that against this background, it has become necessary for corporate organisations, other well meaning groups, and individual within and outside the country to come to aid the health institutions.
The NDIC boss, emphasised on the important role the corporation plays in the country, adding that Deposit Insurance Scheme (DIS) has become key component of moat financial systems worldwide.
“For over 25 years NDIC is charged with mandates of deposit protection, has remained active safety nets player in spite of many daunting challenges.
“Apart from guaranteeing bank deposits up to the limits permitted by law, the corporation has been involved in the supervision of insured institutions as well as resolving the problems of failing and failed financial institutions,” he added.
Speaking also, Issa Musa, the Officer in Charge of PHC Lanwa, commended NDIC for the humanitarian services to the community.
He noted that the timely interventions of the corporation was a prayer answered as the healthcare centre was in a dilapidated state.
According to him, the health facilities service about 40 communities surrounding Lanwa and that this gesture came at the right time.
“NDIC has done wonderful job of renovating the facilities and providing the necessary equipments and consumables needed.
However, we still have the challenges of understaffing. We don’t have nurses as I am the only qualified staff on ground, there are no lab technicians, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, and doctors,” he stated.
Musa posits the health centre even lacks cleaners and night guards, and appealled to the state government to build on the wonderful job done by NDIC by providing staffs and necessary drugs for the welfare of the citizens.
The Officer in charge of the health facility also reminded the state government of the dangerous and bad road network linking many communities to Lanwa, urging the government to reconstruct the roads for the development of the community and the state as a whole.
In his reaction, Raji Razaq, the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, commended the corporation for their kind gesture, saying that government alone cannot take care of all the health needs of the citizens but requires the contribution of all stakeholders.
Razaq who was represented by Stephen Arigidi, medical expert and the Deputy Director of Medical Services and Training, Kwara Ministry of Health stated that Lanwa is an ancient railway community that serve other surrounding communities with the basic health centre.
He assured that the state government is committed towarrs promoting the health of the citizenry as the government had released counterpart funds for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
The commissioner noted that presently the state government has commenced the free medical, surgical interventions across the 16 LGAs.
Sikirat Shehu, Ilorin
