From Steve Oko ,Umuahia
Efforts to re-position the Arochukwu General Hospital, received a major boost weekend as Senator Mao Ohuabunwa who represented Abia North senatorial district in the eight senate, has donated a brand new ambulance fully equipped with state -of -the -art life -saving medical devices.
The senator also donated large quantities of basic drugs and hospital disposables including infusions, catheters, syringe, and generating sets to revamp the hospital.
Senator Ohuabunwa also donated drugs and a generating set to Aro USA Medical Centre also located in the ancient kingdom to boost its operations.
Handing over the items to the man agent of the hospitals through the leadership of Nzuko Aro World wide (a pan socio-cultural organization of the Aro nation), Ohuabunwa said he was moved to make the donation to help boost medical services in Arochukwu.
He decried the deplorable condition of Arochukwu General Hospital which he noted once served as a referral hospital for the people including neighbouring communities in Akwa Ibom State.
Ohuabunwa who disclosed that the ambulance and medicaments were worth over N35 million, explained that he deliberately decided to hand over the items through Nzuko Aro for effective supervision and oversight.
He frowned at the abuse of an ambulance earlier attracted to the hospital by his elder brother, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa which according to him, was being used to convey corpses and even firewoods by the driver.
The former Senate Committee Chairman on Primary Health and Communicable Diseases said it had always been his desire that efficient and affordable medical services be made readily available in his home town, hence the donation.
Ohuabunwa who pledged his readiness to assist in health delivery efforts in the ancient kingdom advised that the doctors’ quarters be prioritized in the proposed renovation of the General Hospital by Nzuko Aro.
He, therefore, charged the management of both hospitals to ensure efficient management of the items while urging the leadership of Nzuko Aro to monitor them.
Responding, the President of Nzuko Aro represented by its 1st Vice Chairman, Mazi Dozie Udensi, commended Ohuabunwa for the “unprecedented gesture”, describing him as a huge asset to the Aro nation.
He promised judicious use of the items through oversight on the management of both health facilities.
Speaking, the Secretary General of Nzuko Aro, Mazi Aniche Okoro, lauded Ohuabunwa for the “historic gesture” and his numerous developmental strides in Aro, saying the items would tremendously boost health care delivery in the area.
He recalled that the remoteness of the kingdom worsened by bad access road had led to needles loss of lives in the area.
In a remark on-behalf of the Aro USA clinic, Elder Ike Onu also hailed Senator Ohuabunwa for his show of patriotism and suggested that some of the medicaments be distributed to other health centres in Arochukwu for easy access to all.
The traditional ruler (Ezeogo) of Atani autonomous community, commended the senator for the gesture describing him as a worthy son of Aro nation.
