In continuation of its efforts aimed at creating wider access to health
\ncare for less privileged Nigerians, Dangote Foundation at the weekend took
\nfree health care services to the door steps of the vulnerable and poor
\nones in Katsina state.<\/p>\n
Thousands of ailing people, including sickly elderly and malnourished
\nchildren alike trooped out to the General Hospital in Kankia Local
\nGovernment area of the state, venue of the exercise and were treated free.<\/p>\n
The free medical outreach in Katsina State include: Free consultations,
\nmedicines and minor operations; advocacy on health and nutrition to women;
\nas well as training of interns and medical personnel who in turn would
\noffer medical advises to the people.<\/p>\n
The programme which was spearheaded by Dangote Foundation was in
\ncollaboration with the Katsina State Government; Give-Back Nigeria, a UK
\nbased Charity Organization and Gachi Development Foundation.<\/p>\n
The state governor, Aminu Bello Masari, who flagged off the three-day
\nmedical services expressed appreciation to the Dangote Foundation and its
\ncollaborators for the gesture and described it as a service to humanity
\nfor which God would surely reward.<\/p>\n
He explained the programmes being mapped out by his admninitsratiuon to
\ntackle health care challenges among his people and said the Dangote
\nFoundation has in no small measure assisted in quickening the health
\nprogramme.<\/p>\n
The governor urged other spirited organization to look in the direction of
\njoining hands with government to ensure the poor also have access to
\nquality health care services.<\/p>\n
In her remark, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Mrs. Zouera
\nYoussouffou said the Foundation decided to sponsor the free medical
\noutreach because the health sector is a critical part of the Foundation\u2019s
\nfocus in contributing to the upliftment of the society and her people.<\/p>\n
She stated that issues bordering on the health of Nigerians have always
\nbeen of concern to Dangote Foundation and that was the reason it has been
\ninvolved in all efforts at ensuring poor Nigerians also benefit from sound
\nhealth care services.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were very active in the fight against the dreaded Ebola and jointly we
\ndefeated it. So also we mounted a lot of campaigns to see that polio was
\neradicated. We are happy that today, one year down the line no single case
\nof polio has been recorded.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis goes to show that collectively we can eradicate most of the disease
\nravaging our people if we deploy the will. We in Dangote Foundation
\nbelieve that health is wealth, and economic activity can succeed when the
\npeople are sick\u201d, Youssouffou noted while adding that the Foundation would
\ncontinue to support Nigerian government and the new Katsina state
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
Dr Shamsudeen Yahyah, a Director in the Ministry of Health of Katsina
\nState, urged all the contributing agencies to try and sustain such
\ngesture, adding that their support will go a long way in assisting the
\ngovernment in achieving its goals. He identified poverty, ignorant as the
\nmajor causes of diseases in the Northern part of the country.<\/p>\n
Speaking also Dr. Tasiu Suleiman Gachi, the Project Leader said he was
\nimpressed by the Dangote Group and other organizations.<\/p>\n
It would be recalled that the new initiative was coming after the Dangote
\nFoundation in association with Bill and Melinda Bates Foundation
\nintervened in the fight against polio thus leading to the eradication of
\nthe disease with news that no case has been recorded in Nigeria in the
\nlast one year.<\/p>\n
Over the years the Dangote Foundation has injected huge amount of money to
\nthe development of the health sector in the country. It is currently
\nconstructing N440million State-of-the-Art Theatre and Diagnostic Centre at
\nthe Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano.<\/p>\n
The Foundation has also disbursed about 600million in the last three years
\non Routine Immunization and Primary Healthcare in Kano State alone, as
\nwell as the construction of 11 units of primary health care centres across
\n11 Local Governments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In continuation of its efforts aimed at creating wider access to health care for less privileged Nigerians, Dangote Foundation at the weekend took free health care services to the door…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n