By Musa Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has approved funds for the completion of a kidney dialysis centre at the General Hospital, Ogoja, in a move aimed at improving access to specialised healthcare services for residents of the state’s northern senatorial district.
The development is expected to address a major gap in renal healthcare delivery by providing life-saving dialysis services closer to patients who currently travel long distances to Makurdi, Abakaliki, Calabar and other locations for treatment.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, who disclosed this in Calabar on Friday, said the intervention demonstrates Governor Otu’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure and ensuring that residents across Cross River State have access to quality medical services.
According to him, the decision was prompted by the increasing cases of kidney-related diseases and the absence of a functional dialysis referral centre in the northern part of the state.
Dr. Ayuk explained that many kidney patients have been facing huge financial and emotional burdens due to frequent trips outside the district for dialysis treatment.
He said the Governor has approved the release of funds to complete the remaining civil works required for the installation of dialysis equipment at the proposed Kidney Centre in General Hospital, Ogoja.
The Commissioner described the project as a strategic investment in the state’s health sector, noting that it would reduce the need for patients to seek renal care outside the region and improve survival chances for people living with kidney disease.
Dr. Ayuk commended Governor Otu for prioritising healthcare development and assured that the Ministry of Health would ensure proper and transparent utilisation of the approved funds to guarantee speedy completion of the facility.
Upon completion, the Ogoja dialysis centre is expected to become a major renal care referral hub in Northern Cross River, bringing specialist treatment closer to thousands of residents and reducing the cost and hardship associated with seeking medical care outside the state.
