A federal medical centre is soon to be established at Itigidi, headquarters of Abi Local Government of Cross River State-the country home of a former governor of the state, Senator Liyel Imoke-courtesy of Dr Alex Egbona.
The bill passed through a second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, following a presentation by Egbona, the member representing the Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
Egbona’s bill came in the form of an amendment to the Federal Medical Centers Act of 2022. It was read for the first time on Tuesday, 17th October, 2023.
In presenting the bill for a second reading, Egbona said “the essence of a functional healthcare facility in any nation cannot be overemphasized. It is to a large extent an indispensable tool that would not only remedy the nations’ social, political, moral, cultural and economic aspirations but also help to educate the citizens on the values that health can help to foster national unity and cohesion.
“I am saddened to report to you that despite the strategic location of Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State with a growing population of over 250,000 people, there are no tertiary health facilities to provide qualitative health services.
“The closest tertiary health institutions to the people of Cross River North and Cross River Central Senatorial District are the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital which is about 138 kilometres away and David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital as well as Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital located in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, distances of between 57 and 60 kilometers respectively.
“My Constituents are in dire need of a medical center to bridge the huge gap while also addressing the concerns of the neighboring Local Government Areas whose future and welfare would be guaranteed by the establishment of the health facility.
“The federal medical centre would also help to reduce the pressure on the teaching hospitals in Calabar and Ebonyi states respectively, as the people would no longer need to travel long distances to assess healthcare facilities.”
Egbona, who is currently the House committee chairman on specialty healthcare, expressed the belief that once the legislative processes were concluded and the bill signed into law to give birth to the facility, the gap of a non- existent tertiary health institution in the Federal Constituency will not only be closed, but would give adequate security to that axis of Cross River and other neighbouring states.
