Edet Edet
The member representing Eket/Esit Eket/Ibeno/ONNA Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Patrick Ifon, has donated equipment worth 50Million to the setting up of an eye clinic in Awa.
Ifon made the donation Tuesday, at the General Hospital, Awa in Onna Local Govt.
He said the eye clinic equipment is a Constituency project attracted through the National Boundary Commission.
“The equipment is part of my Constituency project attracted through the National Boundary Commission.”
He mentioned that the health management system as designed was not created to take care of the poor and these necessitate privileged persons in government to lend a helping hand.
“The health management system was not created to take care of the poor, so privileged persons like me in government should lend their helping hand so that the poor can also be accommodated” he said.
The MP stated further that the intervention is meant to compliment the healthcare reforms of the Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel in the state and to enhance eye care services in and around the federal constituency.
Ifon charged the hospital management to ensure that the equipment is properly cared and used for the advancement of eye care services in the hospital.
The lawmaker also made 1 million Naira donation in partnership with the hospital for free surgery for some financially challenged persons.
The Commissioner for Health, A’Ibom State, Prof. Augustine Umoh, while joining the hospital management in receiving the equipment, applauded Hon. Ifon for the noble gesture.
The health boss noted that government alone cannot handle all the aspect of health that individuals, foundations should also come in to contribute in one way or the other to remedy some aspects of health.
“Government alone cannot handle all the aspect of health, even in the best of climes, we still have individuals or foundations should come in to remedy one or two aspect”
He said that the Ophthalmology and optometry care is one of the areas that requires more development as the state continues her March towards the improvement of healthcare services is the state.
“For someone to step forward to add to this area (optometry) is something that is commendable and appreciable” he added.
The Chief Medical Officer of the hospital, Dr. Francis Inyang, thanked Hon. Ifon for his kind gesture of thinking about peoples well-being.
While applauding the MPs efforts, he promised to ensure the system is well taken care of and maintained to continuously carry out it functions.
On her part, the Principal Optometrist of the hospital, Dr. Elsie Ifon, thanked the donor for thinking of the eye patients in the federal constituency.
She said the equipment are top notch and will advance eye care services and as well, aid in proffering solutions to critical eye problem.
Furthermore, she prayed the hospital management board to recruit more optometrists to the hospital so that they can be knowledge transfer in terms of handling and managing of the equipment.
Equipment donated are; Computerised visual acuity chat, Reading card and accessories, Ophthalmoscope – rechargeable set, Autorefractor, Non contact tonometer (NCT), Ophthalmic combo unit, Trials lens set. Lensmeter.
