Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu has directed the immediate conversion of the Comprehensive Health Centre in Ikom to the status of a General Hospital.
The Governor gave the directive, recently, at a reception organized to honour him and his dear wife, Rev (Mrs.) Eyoanwan Bassey Otu at the Comprehensive Health Centre, Ikom, venue for the First Lady's free medical outreach.
The Governor said the demand for a general hospital in Ikom had become imperative, germane and based on equity as well as the increasing workload in the Comprehensive Health Centre.
The wife of Governor, Rev. Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, who was very excited with the success of the medical outreach, assured the traditional rulers and other guests that she will ensure the upgrade in the health centre is achieved to meet the expectations of a general hospital.
Earlier, the Paramount Ruler of Ikom, HRH Minen Takon Atangba and the Director of Primary Healthcare Centre in Ikom LGA, Mrs Anthonia Owan, in their separate remarks, hinged their request for a General Hospital for Ikom on the need for equity in distribution of health facilities in the State.
They drew government's attention to the fact that the old Ikom area of present Ikom, Etung and Boki LGAs currently do not have a single public hospital, pleading that each of these three LGAs should have at least one public general hospital to bring hospital services closer to the people as well as reduce the huge out of pocket expenditure uncured in private hospitals.
The hugely successful medical outreach saw scores of Cross Riverians and residents of the Central Senatorial District given medical attention to their health challenges.
By Ebi Collins, The Beagle News
