The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has disclosed that it is set to resume a free healthcare programme that would cater to the needs of rural communities in the Niger Delta region.
According to a statement by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni, on Friday, the commission’s Director for Education, Health and Social Services, Dr George Uzonwanne, stated this during an interview with journalists at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Uzonwanne said, “The award and procurement processes for all the medical services have been concluded and we are hoping to restart the programme towards the end of this month or early in February.
“The free healthcare programme used to be the flagship of the commission. Unfortunately, because of funding challenges, it was suspended for a couple of years. However, I am happy and excited to announce that it has been resuscitated by the current board and management of the NDDC.
“It is a programme that the people of the Niger Delta region have been waiting for. Many communities have been writing to us, requesting to have a free healthcare programme in their localities. The medical professionals needed for the effective implementation of the free medical outreach are already being mobilised for the programme which would cover the nine NDDC mandate states”.
Speaking on other areas of medical intervention, Uzonwanne noted that the commission was providing support grants to the sick and indigent people of the region.
