ABUJA: THE Rivers State Ministry of Health has released funds to ensure the smooth running of the Universal Free Medical Care Programme.  State Commissioner Health, Dr Tamunoiyoriari Parker, said the State Government released the sum of N1 billion as an intervention fund to address issues raised by resident doctors who went on strike recently at the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital.

According to him, the fund would also be used to renovate, refurbish and upgrade equipment in the hospital.  “The Free Health Programme of the present administration is not about politics but was borne out of the Governor’s desire to alleviate poverty and redistribute wealth to every household by registering into the free Medical Care Programme, Government has given you back the money which you would have spent to pay your medical bills in a private or public Hospital,” he said.  The Commissioner expressed displeasure about the action of the resident doctors in Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) saying the strike was not necessary, stating that government had issues with cash squeeze and asked the doctors to show some understanding while the issues were being resolved.

“These are the doctors we bought cars for when the going was good as an incentive to deliver free healthcare to our people, we expected them to show some understanding but thank God the issues have been resolved,” said Parker.

SOURCE: CAJ NEWS AGENCY