ISE Gets International Partnership To Provide Essential Drugs For Less Privileged, IDPs

By Eric M Kuju

The Islamic Society of Eggonland (ISE) has entered into partnership with Health Partners International Canada (HPIC) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to provide essential drugs for the less privileged including IDPs in Nassarawa Eggon.

Making the presentation on Saturday (May 14, 2022) at the head office of the ISE in Nassarawa Eggon, representative of the Health Partners International Canada, Alhaji Ahmed Bolori disclosed that the drugs provided include medications against malaria, diabetes, high blood pressure and others.

He said the HPIC has decided to go into such interventions because statistics has shown that about two billion out of the over seven billion people in the world today cannot purchase essential medication for themselves even when faced with life-threatening ailments, saying the HPIC has spent about $1 million in Nigeria alone providing drugs and other medical services such as wheelchairs to the indigent.

He commended the Islamic Society of Eggonland for always working towards bringing succour to the less privileged in the community. This according to him, was in alignment with the objectives of the Health Partners International Canada and assured that there will be more avenues for partnership in the no distant future.

Alhaji Bello Mohammed Bello, Acting Director Human Resources National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons who spoke on behalf of the Federal Commissioner Hajiya Iman Suleiman-Ibrahim, said the commission places paramount importance on anything that concerns the health of the less privileged in the society and appreciated the organizations that have contributed to making life more convenient for the less privileged.

Alhaji Bello Mohammed Bello then appealed to the management of the General Hospital Nassarawa Eggon to ensure the drugs actually get to those they are meant for.

He assured that the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons will continue to play its part to bring relief to those who have found themselves in unfortunate situations.

Also speaking at the event, Alhaji Hamza Ibrahim, who is SA to the Speaker House of Representatives on Humanitarian Services, gave a brief story of how the partnership between the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Health Partners International Canada and Islamic Society of Eggonland began.

He said: “I am very happy because I was the one that engineered this partnership. I came to Nassarawa Eggon about six to seven years ago and I interacted with Umar the ISE General Secretary. He took me round and also told me about the activities of the Islamic Society of Eggonland.

“When we went round, we saw the situation of some IDPs here and from the discussions we had with them, we wrote a report and took it to the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons. With that, we were able to get a little intervention which was distributed to the people.

“After that, I still informed the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons on the activities of the ISE which led to the commission inviting these partners from Canada.”

He assured the people of Nassarawa Eggon that there were even more interventions and collaborations underway.

The drugs were received by Dr. Amingbo Wuya, Director Medical Services at the Nasarawa State Hospitals Management Board on behalf of the Chief Medical Director.

He then appreciated the intervention by the Health Partners International Canada saying such interventions are very timely as quality healthcare is getting more expensive and out of the reach of the common man.

He said there was need for more spirited individuals and organizations to come in to alleviate the sufferings of the people while assuring the donor partners that the drugs will be used judiciously.

He said: “The Hospitals Management Board shall oversee the affairs of General Hospital Nassarawa Eggon and ensure prudent use of the drugs supplied by the Health Partners International Canada. We will make sure that the drugs reach those target populations and also ensure that records are kept and only those who deserve to be given the drugs will be given. Records will be kept so that we will account for each tablet that is given to us, each injection that is in our custody.”

The Nasarawa State Government was represented at the event by the Honourable Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mohammed Lawal Yakubu who expressed the gratitude of the State Government to the international partners who have spent their resources to meet the needs of the people. He assured them that the State Government is confident that the Islamic Society of Eggonland are trustworthy partners and that the management of General Hospital Nassarawa Eggon will use the drugs for what and whom they are meant for.

He then appealed for more support from the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons especially in providing housing for the IDPs as that will go a long way in making their lives better.

In his remarks earlier, General Secretary of the Islamic Society of Eggonland, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi Galle said the ISE has as its main objective, service to God and humanity and that is why its activities aim to touch the lives of the less privileged in the society.

He appreciated the Health Partners International Canada (HPIC) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons for enriching the activities of the ISE through their various interventions and prayed for God to provide more resources so that more interventions can be done for the people.

Recall that the Islamic Society of Eggonland had in January 2022, embarked on free eye medical services for the indigent in Nassarawa Eggon where over 1,500 patients benefitted with over 400 receiving free reading glasses and about 250 cataract surgeries performed.

During the month of Ramadan, the organization also visited various health facilities in Nassarawa Eggon and Akwanga where patients were given beverages and other items in the spirit of Ramadan.