“Ove100 People Have Been Treated Under The Bello Health Initiatives”, says Ahmed Attah
Dr. Ahmed Attah is the former Chairman, Kogi state Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA. He’s also the Special Adviser to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State. In this brief chat with SECURITY MONITOR’S Correspondent, A.S Olawale in Lokoja, the medical doctor turned politician reiterates the determination of his boss to uplift the health standard of the Confluence state and why he celebrates his birthday donating blood.
YOU AND YOUR WELL WISHERS WERE SEEN DONATING BLOOD IN LOKOJA TO MARK YOUR BIRTHDAY. WHAT INFORMED THIS UNIQUE DECISION?
Thank you, I must tell you point blank that the decision to donate blood as part of the activities marking my birthday was born out of the fact that blood is an essential medical ingredient and in most cases needed in an emergency situation to bring a dying patient back to life. Aside that, I’m working with a governor who will stop at nothing to cater for the health wellbeing of his people. I mean, the decision to donate blood on this unique day is to register my sincere support to the ongoing health reforms of the Alhaji Yahaya Bello led administration in Kogi state. Too many projects such as the Bello Health Intervention Scheme, Kogi State health Insurance program and so on are very paramount in the heart of the governor and I have to key into that as a good health ambassador
CAN YOU PLEASE SHED MORE LIGHT TO THE BELLO HEALTH INTERVENTION INITIATIVE?
Bello Health Initiatives is a creation of His Excellency, the executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. The Governor has a tremendous passion to the wellbeing of every resident in Kogi State. I would like to say that, the project is a reflection of the true character of the governor. The health Intervention Scheme is a supportive measure to help the indigent people with health challenges across the state. The Bello Health Intervention Scheme is a health project that aims at solving the complicated health problem which residents of the state face as a result of lack of funds. The project caters for people with fatal injury from motor accident such as spinal cord injury or fracture from any parts of the body.
The project will bring back to life people with complicated ailments such as cancer, tuberculosis and so on. It is specifically designed for people of low income or people whose financial status cannot foot the bill of such medical condition.
The project is on and the governor has continued to give huge support to the project. Since inauguration of the scheme, over 100 people have been treated across the divides of the state. There is no discrimination of where the person comes from, his tribe, language religion or party affiliation. Once your financial status cannot cater for the ailment then you are the target of the scheme.
Such is the caring heart of Alhaji Yahaya Bello before becoming a governor and in the last one year since assumption into office, more people have been benefited from the scheme irrespective of their stage of origin.
WE UNDERSTAND FOR HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME IS IN THE PIPELINE . HOW WOULD YOU INTEND TO ACHIEVE THIS?
The Health Insurance scheme is a genuine step towards health financing. Presently,what we have is a situation where people die when they cannot foot their medical bills and except you get a philanthropy or have an organization or wealthy individual who is ready to help. The health insurance scheme is a project been piloted by the Ministry of Health in the state. It is a project aims at reactivating the Kogi State Health insurance Program. There was already a bill in that regards that the former administration sent to the state Assembly but could be passed because of lack of political will. The current government is highly committed to the health upliftment of the residents hence the need to renew the bill with more rigor. However, with the energetic and passionate drive of the current Commissioner for Health, Hon. Haruna Saka, the bill will soon be a good working document to boost health situation of the residents. The Honourable Commissioner is working day and night with a special committee created for that purpose to redefine the bill and represent it to the state assembly. So, the bill is still at the early stage and once passed residents of the state will have course to celebrate the emergence of the present government.
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