The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will soon commence distribution of vaccines, medical and waste management equipment to states in the Niger Delta region.
This was disclosed by the NDDC Acting Director Finance and Administration, EDFA, Dr Chris Amadi, when he led some directors on an inspection visit to the Commission’s warehouses in Port Harcourt.
Dr Amadi, who decried the depreciating state of some of the items in the warehouses, said that the equipment would be put in order for distribution to the appropriate end users. He stated: “I have directed that the waste trucks and medical boats be maintained as soon as possible for subsequent distribution to the various states.”
He explained that the locations where the items were to be distributed had already been compiled and sharing exercise would commence within this month.
In one of the warehouses in Trans Amadi area of Port Harcourt, the Acting Executive Director Finance and Administration inspected solar-powered refrigerators for vaccines which he assured would be distributed to communities in the region as soon as possible.
He said that the Director of Education, Health and Social Services, EHSS, had been mandated to kick start the process for the distribution.
Responding to the directive, an Assistant Director in the EHSS directorate, Dr George Uzornwanne listed some of the supplies procured by the Commission to include, medical waste incinerators, solar-driven refrigerators, vaccines, waste management trucks, agricultural tractors and refuse bins.
He stated that it was the second set of such procurement the commission was distributing in the last two years, noting that those that were procured two years ago were distributed to states ministries of health. He added that they would also be given the new set to help in improving immunization exercises in communities.
Dr Uzornwanne explained that the incinerators would help in combating pollution and infections associated with medical waste disposal in the region. He stated: “We have not had any functional one in the Niger Delta region and we received a lot of requests over the years to procure this essential equipment.”
He said further: “There are two medical ambulances and the EDFA has directed that they be given to the Rivers State Ministry of Health to help the people of the state, especially in the riverine areas that do not have access to immediate health care.”