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By Iheanyi Chukwudi
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah has described one time Chief of Army Staff (CAS) and founder, TY Danjuma Foundation, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), as an epitome of leadership and philanthropy.
The Governor who led other Nigerians to eulogize Danjuma at the commissioning of the multi-million naira, Goodwill Medical Centre (GMC) Enugu, fully funded by TY Danjuma Foundation, thanked the ex-CAS for the huge investment in the state health sector and lives of people of the state.
The state-of-the-art model Centre located in the Umuchigbo, Iji Nike, Abapka Community in the Enugu East Local Government has provision for Maternal and Child Health, General Primary Healthcare, Laboratory, Eye Health, Prevention, and treatment of Communicable Diseases, General Surgical, Accident and Emergency services and would also provide opportunity for research and out-reach programmes with Diaspora-based health professionals, free treatment for indigent patients and standard charges for others.
The GMC project is the brainchild of Prof. Uche Amazigo, Nigeria’s renowned pro-poor public health specialist, and one of the few female Africans to have led a specialized UN Agency, overseeing a highly successful multilateral partnership in global health.
Mbah who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai said, “General TY Danjuma has epitomized leadership both in public service and in private life. If you want to personify philanthropy and giving back to society, he is the personification of that virtue.
“Travelled all the way from Taraba, across Benue, across parts of Kogi to Enugu state to invest huge sums of money to provide a healthcare facility to serve our people not to serve General Danjuma, or his company or his staff or his family members, to serve us, can only in the stretched expression mean commitment to humanity.
“On behalf of a grateful state, on behalf of grateful people, I want to say thank you General Danjuma and your Foundation for the intervention you’ve made in our healthcare.
I want to thank you again for the humility with which you’ve delivered all the interventions, all the supports. The kind of investment you made from your personal resources to uplift mankind, to lift people out of poverty in all sectors and the humility with which you delivered it seamlessly is actually a virtue we should all try to emulate.
I also want to thank you for your detribalized disposition in your chosen path and as Professor Amazigo said, "your covenant with God.”
He said the state would give the facility all the assistance it needed saying, “We will stop at nothing to ensure the protection of this investment. I want to pledge the commitment of our state that we will do whatever it takes to give the Goodwill Medical Centre all the support they need.”
Speaking, Danjuma paid glowing tribute to Prof. Amazigo and her team, stressing that women were the best in delivering on any project.
He however, noted that the former female Minister of Petroleum, Dezian Madueke’s corruption record, wanted to change his rating of women in transparency.
He said, “I used to say if you want anything properly done and delivered on time without excuses, give it up to a woman, until we had a female Minister of Petroleum. The woman excelled in corruption. She set a record that is yet to be beaten by anybody.
“This magnificent edifice can only be built by women. Men will take your money at the end of the day all you will get is long stories and no building. So I will like you ladies and gentlemen to join me to salute Professor Uche and her team for a job well done. It is my hope that the goals you have set for yourself, you will achieve them and go even further.”
In her address, the Chairman of the Trustees of the GMC, Prof. Amazigo said, “The GMC envisions a Nigeria where people unite to address the healthcare challenges of poor families in our communities.
Our objective is to provide quality healthcare for all. This Centre with the assistance of seven Consultant specialists and Professors, will provide low-cost treatment for indigent patients and charge others (the rich) the standard medical fees.
“The center has a plan for the enrollment of 1000 or more indigent people randomly selected from communities, into the National Health Insurance Authority/ Group, Individual, Family Social Health Insurance Programme (NHIA GIFSHIP)."
"This will cost about NGN 15 million at the rate of NGN 15,000 per enrollee. This programme will provide comprehensive and robust health care services to the poor. We humbly call for the support of His Excellency, Governor Barrister Dr Mbah and the Enugu State Ministry of Health.”
She added that “Nigeria, a continent powerhouse, can demonstrate leadership in Giving and in Healthcare by replicating the donation of TY Danjuma Foundation -GMC-type project in some communities, to demonstrate good health as wealth and promoting charity.”
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