July 18, (THEWILL) – The paramount ruler of Tiv Nation, the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, has appealed to companies selling medical equipment to supply them to Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) to enable it to save the lives of patients.
The Tor Tiv made the appeal on Thursday, in Makurdi, while flagging off the International Health Investment Summit/Scientific Exhibition and Endowment Fund for Cancer Treatment organised by the management of the hospital.
He said such could be achieved through signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BSUTH and giving it conducive terms to enable it to acquire the equipment and put them to use for the overall good of the society.
“The equipment will enable the doctors to carry out accurate diagnosis. It is our dream that under Governor Hyacinth Alia, the hospital will become a reference point not just in the North Central region but in Northern Nigeria and the country at large,” he said.
The Tor Tiv, who is also the Chairman of the Benue State Council of Chiefs, therefore, challenged the staff of the hospital to reciprocate what the Governor is doing so that it will be second to none.
While appreciating Governor Alia for his support to the hospital, he pointed out that with his support, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Stephen Hwande, had changed the narrative of the hospital.
“I’m behind Dr. Hwande and gave him my royal blessings to enable him to move and take the hospital where it should be,” he stated.
The State Deputy Governor, Dr. Samuel Ode, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Felicia Alebo, assured that the hospital would move to greater heights, stressing that henceforth, there would be no more referrals from the hospital to other hospitals because all the needed equipment for the treatment of most diseases would be in place.
In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Stephen Hwande, disclosed that it was the dream of the management team of the hospital to have a one-stop hospital that could take care of the health needs of Benue citizens. “A hospital where kidney, liver, heart and other sophisticated tests will be done here,” he added.
He, therefore, called on all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly Benue indigenes, to support the hospital’s aspirations, stressing that if they fail, it would not be unfair.
He also appealed to the Tor Tiv to use his royal powers to support the hospital, promising that he would make judicious use of every kobo that entered the hospital’s coffers for the benefit of all.
