FCTA pledges to make health care accessible to all residents

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has pledged that it would ensure delivery of affordable healthcare to all residents in the FCT.

FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello made the pledge at the 45th annual general meeting of the Nigerian Optometric Association at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Represented by Director-General, FCT Hospital Services Management Board, Dr. Mohammed Kawu, the Minister stated that the Administration was making efforts to improve residents health care, especially their eye health.

He said: “We will continue to work towards the provision of quality and accessible health care to all residents in all the nooks and crannies of the FCT. These efforts include partnerships on medical outreach, especially in eye care”.

Mallam Bello also disclosed that the FCT was working assiduously to tackle medical tourism; adding, “I am happy to note that the FCT Administration is systematically working to reverse the medical tourism that is taking its toll on the Nigerian economy.

“To this effect, our hospitals are being repositioned for increased efficiency, with state-of-the-art equipment provided to facilitate diagnosis and ensure quick treatment”.

Mallam Bello, while stating that his administration was not relenting in ensuring a well organised and effective national capital, expressed delight at the choice of Abuja for the AGM; noting that it was a testament to FCT’s emerging status as a conference hub in Nigeria and Africa.

Titled ‘Leveraging Partnerships to Transform Optometry and Eye Care in West Africa’, the Minister said the theme was apt and showed “care and desire to improve the competencies of optometrists in Nigeria and turn around, for the better, eye care in Nigeria and the West Africa as a whole”.

He saluted contributions of the Nigerian Optometric Association in the fight against all forms and causes of avoidable blindness in Nigeria.