The debate on the propriety or otherwise of
celebrating Nigerian Centenary Anniversary
ought not to distract us from the
opportunities the Centenary celebration
presents. An opportunity to review our past,
evaluate the present and hopefully shape the
future in ways that address the past
imperfections and make our lives better.
Bickering over everything should not be a
natural vocation; we could even in dissent
find solution to the myriad of problems we
face as a people. As a people of faith, we do
owe our Nation responsibilities far higher
than personal interests including goodwill
instead of the curses we rain on our nation,
her institutions and leaders. Continue...
The Nigerian Centenary Charity Ball is
designed to leverage on the centenary
celebration and solve some of our problems.
The Federal Government cannot solve all the
problems faced by our beloved country but
as citizens we can find a way around some of
our collective problems this time.
Nigerian Centenary Charity Ball (NCCB) is a
series of fund raising activities and event to
address challenges primarily in tertiary
healthcare for the good of us all and the
country. It is estimated that Nigeria spends
N250billion annually on foreign medical care.
This capital flight is unsuitable for a
developing country like ours. Sealing a hole
in a child’s heart need not financially cripple
the parents financially or take place in India,
replacing a damaged kidney should and can
be done within our borders. Every breast,
cervical or prostate cancer patient should
have access to quality care within Nigeria.
Our neurosurgeons need to be gainfully
employed. No woman should have her
bladder torn giving birth. For victims of cruel
acid attacks, constructive surgery can be
done by experienced and skilled
neurosurgeons.
Nigeria is blessed with skilled healthcare
professionals who can perform excellent
surgeries. What is required is the equipment,
technology to carry out these surgeries and
certainly this is what the NCCB hopes to
achieve by equipping already existing
National Referral Centers for heart, kidney
diseases, neurosurgery, cancer care and
management. This initiative intends to
galvanize all Nigerians including Nigerians in
the Diaspora for a common good, as our
collective gift to Nigeria on her 100 years
anniversary.
We will like to emphasize that in organizing
the Nigerian Charity Ball, we have chosen to
be politically blind because what is at stake
is our health as a people. Kidney failure does
not discriminate between PDP and APC;
when cancer strikes, there is no distinction
between APGA and PDP nor is there any
distinction between the rich and the poor!
This is why we have chosen to organize the
NCCB around the Nigerian people, especially
those of us who cannot access Medicare
abroad because of its high cost.
The funds generated will be managed by an
independent Trust for the purposes listed
above. We cannot continue relying for help
from the government alone. As individuals,
corporate entities we should rise to this
occasion and do something positive for our
country and for ourselves.
We want to use this opportunity to thank
Otunba Subomi Balogun for donating a
decent medical facility to UCH Ibadan, as
well as Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the planned
medical facility in Kano. However, we need
not relent on our efforts but instead intensify
them for the good of our people. At this
point we would like to thank the SGF for his
unflinching support to the NCCB. We are
most grateful to Ms.
Ngozi Nwosu, a Nigerian citizen, popular
Nollywood actress and most importantly a
kidney disease survivor, who flew in from
Lagos to lend her support to the noble
campaign of NCCB to bequeath efficient and
accessible healthcare to Nigerians. Her story
creates a more compelling need for us
citizens to rise up and say never again will
we allow our hospitals and teaching
hospitals refer treatable cases and surgeries
abroad with all the implications on cost and
affordability.
Dear compatriots, we cannot conclude this
briefing without informing you that the
unveiling of NCCB will take place within the
next two weeks and the charity ball, which
will be hosted by the President, Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan GCFR at EKO Convention Centre
holds by December.
Gentlemen of the press, we implore you to be
patient and listen to a detailed presentation
on the NCCB.
God bless Nigeria!
Dr. Kingsley Esegbue
Secretary Organizing Committee,
Nigerian Centenary Charity Ball (NCCB
No comments:
Post a Comment