Saraki Promises Adequate Support for National Assembly Clinic
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Nigeria Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki on Monday 14 March 2016visited the National Assembly Clinic located in Area 11, Abuja and promised members of staff that the present National Assembly will provide all the necessary support that will put the health institution in a position to offer world class medicare for the over 6000 staff and members of the National Assembly.
Saraki, according to a statement by Bamikole Omishore Special Assistant on New Media to the Senate President, the plan is to ensure that the clinic is well equipped and staffed to an extent that it can extend its services to members of the public as part of efforts to further enhance the community relations efforts of the federal legislature.
The Senate President who was received at the Clinic by the Director of Medical Service, Dr Hamza Bashiru and the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Directorate, National Assembly, Dr. Eme Moma-Efretuei, said it was obvious the clinic needs to be further upgraded to fulfill the objective behind establishing it.
The National Assembly Extension Clinic was established in 2009 to provide a 24-hour medical service for legislators, staff of the bicameral National Assembly, legislative aides and their family members as well as visitors that might need medical treatment while on the premises of the National Assembly Complex.
The National Assembly Annex Clinic has a 20-bed capacity for in-patient, takes up to 100 out-patients a week and it is equipped with a pharmacy, theater for surgery, dental, antenatal and gynecology units with the recent addition of an emergency wing.
Dr. Bukola Saraki was conducted round the premises of the clinic and he interacted with the medical personnel, some of whom stated that the facilities at the clinic require upgrading to function at full capacity.
The medical staff requested for the support of the leadership of the 8th National Assembly in ensuring that the clinic is moved to its permanent site at Gudu District, Abuja, since the building housing the clinic is a rented facility.
The Senate President who is also a medical doctor himself commended the efforts and commitment of the staff and assured them that they would soon notice positive changes in the facilities available for their use.
