BENIN – Mrs Elizabeth Ativie, member of the Edo House of Assembly, said on Tuesday that 23,000 persons benefitted from her mobile medical services meant to improve public health system in her constituency.
The lawmaker, representing Uhunmwode Constituency, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin that about 50 surgical operations had been carried out through the clinic.
She said 15,000 medical eye glasses were distributed through the platform, adding that her passion for the health and well being of the people necessitated the service.
“With a nursing background, I realise that my people do not have access to freee health care, and they are patronising quacks and people are dying of illnesses that are curable.
“The primary healthcare facilities in my locality was not functional as there were no doctors, no nurses, but nursing assistants; no equipment too, so I thought of what better way to impact on my people as their representative.
“And so the idea of a mobile clinic came about as an alternative to fight war against disease.
“So in 2011, I commenced payment for a mobile clinic in Germany and in 2013, it was inaugurated in my constituency.
The law maker disclosed that out of the 182 communities that made of the constituency, 108 had been visited, adding that all the communities would be visited.
She said that the visitation were done in phases, adding that the mobile clinic had done eight phases and would soon commence a new phase.
She said that as a woman and mother, she would pursue a passion for educating the girl child and ensuring that women were well placed in the society was.
She explained that aside the construction of four schools in her locality, she had sponsored three bills including the “ Equal Opportunity Bill and Domestic Violence Bill”.
Ativie said that the bills were geared towards promotion and emancipation of women and the girl child, stressing that the laws would help to position women at decision-making levels.
She, however, decried the non implementation of the Child Rights Bill in the state since it was passed into law.
“My desire is to see the implementation of the child right law in the state. I would want to continue with the free health care until people, not only in my locality but in the state in general, enjoy basic health care,’’ she said.
She said that in spite of the cost effectiveness of health projects, the reception by people encouraged her to continue.
She said her efforts would complement the programmes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state.
Meanwhile a beneficiary who spoke with NAN, Mrs Esohe Idemudia while lauding the law maker, appealed to her to continue to render selfless service to the people.
Idemudia, who said the lawmaker had brought hope and happiness to children, women and the aged, appealed to other lawmakers to emulate her. (NAN)