By CrossRiverWatch Admin
A community Ikot Okon Nyandi Nyoku in Efut Ekondo Clan of Calabar South local government area has declared its intention to relocate a Primary Health Care facility which is currently operational in the palace of the chief.
Located at number 101 Whitehouse street (also called Dan Archibong street) in Calabar, the NYSC Community Based Health Center which can barely house a 1 foot mattress has been operating in the palace of Ndabo Emmanuel Okon Edet.
The throne of the traditional ruler is in the room with some equipment stacked at the left from the entrance. Two tables are arranged carefully to allow about a feet in width for staff to meander their way through with one table running half the length of the room while the other runs almost two thirds of the breadth.
First located at 3 Atu street after it was set up by youth corps members in 1984, the facility was transferred from that location in 2013 “due to the poor condition of the house which was a rented house” said Ndabo Emmanuel Edem Otu Duke, the Secretary of the Efut Ekondo clan traditional rulers council.
“The rent was past due for years so the owner went to court and secured an injunction against us and the facility was moved down here” he said.
Also, Duke added that; “The place where it was, was a very very big place, in fact it was almost a hospital because we had resident Doctor, nurses and all the NYSC medical students were all coming there.”
However, there is hope as the community has written to the Ministry of Sustainable Development Goals and the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA) to enable it use a section of the former head office of the ministry located at 4, Atu street despite initial resistance by some political elites in Ward 9 of the local government council.
The chiefs and staff of the facility conducted the Director General of the CRSPHCDA, Dr. Betta Edu round the proposed facility and implored her to facilitate the fast tracking of the processes required in permitting the community to use the premises.
On her part, Dr. Betta lauded the community for their support to the facility and pledged to help facilitate the relocation of the facility as her visit to the location brings memories of her younger years while living just opposite the facility.
“I thank you for your patience and for housing the facility for 3 years now, you have done a great service to your people and I am pleading that you be patient a little more” Dr. Betta said.
She continued; “Your patience for these years did you no harm and all I am asking for is a little more patience for a few weeks so we can sort out the bureaucracy in moving the facility out of your palace.”
Earlier, Ndabo Edet had lamented that he has been unable to treat cases and welcome his kinsmen ever since the facility began operating from his palace which he said had no space with most equipment allotted to the facility left in the local government council notable among which are solar panel systems among others.
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