Wole Ayodele in Jalingo
Former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd), on Monday inaugurated the ultra-modern Rufkatu Danjuma Maternity Hospital in Takum, Taraba State.
The inauguration of the hospital named after his mother and was constructed under the auspices of T.Y. Danjuma Foundation, drew dignitaries from all walks of life into the ancient city which is his home town.
Speaking at the occasion, Danjuma revealed that the hospital was constructed and donated to Takum community to check the prevalence of child and maternal mortality in the state.
The former Cheif of Army Staff, who was joined by the Governor of the state, Darius Ishaku, to launch the project was alarmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) report that an average of 2,000 children of less than five years and 140 women die on a daily basis in Nigeria.
He said: “According to WHO, 140 women and 2,000 children who are less than five years old die daily in Nigeria. This is not only alarming but also totally unacceptable. It was as a result of this development that I took the initiative to put this facility in place to contribute my quota in checking this ugly trend.
“I therefore urge all our people to take advantage of this facility to prevent unnecessary deaths and illnesses among women and children.â€
Describing the maternity as a state-of-the-art, modern, sustainable and specialised mother and child facility aimed at providing enhanced maternal and prenatal healthcare services, Danjuma stressed that it would provide the needed services to Takum and its surrounding environ.
He further revealed that the project was a partnership between T. Y. Danjuma Foundation, Taraba State Government and Development Africa which would subsequently manage the facility.
The state governor, who is also an indigene of Takum, said the project demonstrates the “concern of Danjuma towards the wellbeing of the people especially the most vulnerable in the society,†saying the state government is most pleased to identify and contribute towards this noble project.
Ishaku urged the people to take the facility as their personal facility that must be “guarded jealously against any form of threat.â€
The governor, in conjunction with Danjuma, also laid the foundation for NI.25 billion Government International Model Secondary School in Takum which is to be constructed by the Victim Support Fund (VSF).
The Executive Director of the VSF, Prof. Sunday Ochoche, who disclosed that the project would be completed within eight months, said the citing of the programme in Takum was in recognition that the state was greatly affected by insurgency through massive influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), thus over stretching the facilities in the state.
Ishaku, in his remarks, said the school, when completed, would not only compliment the current reform that his administration has embarked upon in the education sector, but would help to accommodate students with deficiency in their O’level examinations by providing remedial studies to fast-track admission in to universities.
Also yesterday, the governor inaugurated a 1×7.5MVA/33/11 KV injection substation which is to boost electricity supply to Takum and its environs as well as flagged off construction of Takum-Chanchangi road.
