In a significant move to enhance healthcare accessibility, Kogi State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has approved the state government’s takeover of the Ogidi Cottage Hospital.
The announcement was conveyed by the Permanent Secretary of the Kogi State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Enehe Dorcas Omeneke, who affirmed the directive for the Ministry to assume full management of the facility.
The government, in the letter expressed appreciation to the community for its contributions to health care delivery to its people and those from neighbouring communities.
It also urged the community to sustain its commitment to improving healthcare delivery to its people.
The construction of the hospital began with a donation of the sum of N5,000,000 million to the community by an illustrious son of Ijumu.
As the community began to face daunting challenges in completing the structure, it approached the Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency which asked the community to pay a counterpart fund to which the agency added funds to complete the facility which was then commissioned by the governor of the state, Captain Idris Wada.
All the ultra modern medical equipment in the hospital were shipped free of charge from the United Kingdom by a non-governmental organisation, Ripples, founded and headed by a daughter of Ogidi, Ms Anne Toba.
The organisation later provided a surgical theatre and matching equipment to enable the facility to handle surgeries.
The hospital was at some point closed down following a dearth of manpower and financial resources to keep it going.
The Ogidi Development Union (ODU) then set up the Ogidi Health Team to raise funds and renovate the hospital ahead of its re-opening.
At an online fundraising event which attracted Ogidi indigenes from Africa, Europe, the United States of America, Canada and Asia, about N11 million was raised with which the structure was renovated and critical paramedical staff hired in addition to part time doctors who visited twice a week.
In his response to the government take over, His Royal Majesty, the Ologidi of Ogidi, Oba Rabiu Oladimeji Sule expressed his and the community’s appreciation to Governor Ododo for this timely intervention in the health of the people of Ogidi.
On his part, the President of the Ogidi Development Union, Mr. Raphael Kayode Eniolorunda said the people of Ogidi were indebted to Governor Ododo for his demonstrable love for the community.