… Private-sector doctors launch intervention fund
By Hassan Zaggi
The widow of the former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Mrs Maryam Abacha, has revealed that the National Hospital, Abuja, was established solely to take care of the health of women and children.
Thirty five other hospitals, she said, with similar status and aim were also established in all states of the federation during her tenure as the First Lady.
The hospital, according her, was established with the purpose of being a referral centre.
She was the initiator and founder of the Family Support Programme Initiative.
Mrs Abacha disclosed this while receiving an award at the Gala Night and Award Ceremony organised by the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), in Abuja, yesterday.
The award ceremony was part of activities to mark the 100 years of the association.
She applauded the AGPMPN for their efforts in taking care of the health of women and children in the country.
This is even the AGPMPN has launched an intervention fund to save the lives of mothers and children.
The President of AGPMPN, Dr. Iyke Odo, stated this while speaking during the Gala night and award ceremony of the association.
He, therefore, called for support from all well-meaning Nigerians and corporate bodies in the country.
“We desire this especially to support maternal and child care and temper their very high mortality rates that have become a moral national burden.
“We want to build capacity across the largely ill equipped care givers in our rural communities, improve the quality of care to our pregnant mothers, save their lives and save the lives of their children.
“We project to save one million Nigerian women and children over the next five years. This is the SAVE ONE MILLION NIGERIAN MOTHERS INITIATIVE.
“In like manner, we desire also to grow awareness, understanding, acceptance and support for health insurance by the Nigerian people as a means for actualizing Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
“This is why we have reached out to you and are still reaching out to charitable Nigerians and residents and organizations, patrons of healthcare, friends at home and abroad, to donate to the Private Sector Healthcare Intervention Trust Fund, the reason for the launching of today.”
