By: EDEM DARLINGTON, Calabar
AJE foundation, a Calabar based NGO has donated medical equipment and other healthcare materials to the children emergency ward and the accident emergency unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH)
The foundation which seeks to bridge medical gaps by providing medical aids to the vulnerable, also hopes to develop full accommodation and educational facilities to rehabilitate homeless youths and other vulnerable groups in rural settlements in Cross River State.
Chairman and founder of the foundation, Dr. Agbo James Etim said his foundation hopes to do more in the future by collaborating with other well meaning organizations and individuals to assist the vulnerable in the society beginning with Calabar.
In a chat with AUTHENTIC News Daily, Dr. Agbo James said he had previously carried out several medical interventions among the very poor in the society without having to sound his trumpet .
” Some of this materials have been used to care for patients who have little or nothing at presentation” he said
He maintained that although the recent strike embarked upon by healthcare service providers in the country had initially hindered the planned take off of their next donation. With the call-off of the strike, the foundation was set to touch more lives by making more donations and rendering other medical services in the state.
He said the foundation hopes to, in the nearest future, provide
emergency medical equipment to the teaching and general hospitals in Calabar. While also aligning with doctors in the state to provide free healthcare to women and children in some selected health centres in the state capital.
According to Dr. Agbo, AJE foundation also seeks to “organize free lectures and mentorship programs in schools and other public venues as well as utilizing social media channels and media corporations to provide facts, statistics, and other related data on causes, current efforts and solutions to public health issues.
“Our programs include sending out ambassadors to raise social consciousness about the cause on a local and global level of major issues and to hold fundraising events in order to provide immediate relief and assistance to the afflicted regardless of their race, ethnicity, or religion”
The medical expert said as part of his philanthropic gesture, the foundation hopes “To maximize our impact on current efforts, we may seek to collaborate with other non-profit organizations exclusively for educational and charitable purposes.
“At times, per the discretion of the board of directors, we may provide internships or volunteer opportunities which will provide opportunities for involvement in said activities and programs in order to have a greater impact for change”
Access to affordable healthcare services continues to be a serious problem in most countries in sub-saharan Africa, with Nigeria sitting comfortably among the most affected.
Since 2015, Cross River State government have continued to make inroad in the area of Primary Health Care (PHC), despite the successes, many still see such efforts as a drop in an ocean.
Some say with the contributions of private players in the health sector, it could go a long way to alleviate many health challenges being faced by the people, especially among a vast majority rural dwellers. An area, AJE foundation says it plans to effectively arrest.
