By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Audu, said
Hoodlums invaded Kogi State Central Medical Store, looted and vandalised medical equipment and consumables worth billions of naira.
Dr Saka Audu, disclosed this at a press conference on Wednesday, after he led a team from the ministry and the media to inspect the burgled medical store located along Zone 8, Lokoja.
The commissioner who expressed shock over the unfortunate development, pointed out that it would be very difficult for Kogi to recover quickly from the set back.
He stressed that the state do not have the capacity to recover what had been carted away or vandalized in a short term period without adequate external intervention and support.
”The Kogi State Central Medical Store was burgled and equipment worth billions of naira were stolen.
”Those equipment that couldn’t be stolen like the refrigerator for immunization, components of MRI/CT Scan machines were vandalized beyond repair, while others were moved from the store and broken into pieces in nearby bushes.”
”The situation is indeed worrisome, and should be a cause for concern to all Kogites as it has given a great set back in many paces in our efforts to provide quality healthcare to Citizenry.”
He added that the state was currently quantifying the extent of the damage and would eventually make public the list of stolen items and cost implications.
According to him, medical equipment such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Computed Tomography machines, Digital Mammography, Digital Radiography, consumables, drugs, office furniture, air conditioners, solar power unit, fans, among others were either looted or vandalised.
”The implication of this according to the commissioner is that the Drug Supply Chain and cold chain for routine immunization would be disrupted in Kogi State.”
”A store that successive State Government Administrations and Health Development Partners have invested billions of naira to equip was emptied in a matter of hours,” the Commissioner lamented.
He appealed to the federal government, development partners, donor agencies and well meaning Nigerians to assist Kogi State Government in that regard.
Also speaking, Dr Abubakar Yakubu, the Executive Director, Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), noted that 20 tonnes capacity Cold Room recently built for vaccines by the agency was completely vandalised.
He stressed that the cold room which was fully sponsored by the state government to be commissioned soon were destroyed, and its 100KVA inverter and 36 solar batteries carted away.
