2024 Birthday Anniversary: AKHA Speaker Offsets N5m Medical Bills For Indigent Patients

ABAK
To mark his 2024 birthday anniversary, the speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, AKHA, Elder Udeme Otong, has paid off medical bills worth more than N5million for no fewer than 43 patients at Mercy Hospital and General Hospital, Ukpom, both in Abak Local Government Area.
At Mercy Hospital Abak, Speaker Otong, flanked by his wife and President of Legislators Wives Association (LEWA), Deaconess Margaret Otong, said rather than throw a lavish birthday party, he considered it important to reach out to the downtrodden.
“As a nurse, I was in the hospital environment and I know there may be people here who are unable to pay their bills.”
“Sickness does not give you notice. It happens accidentally. At times, the person may not keep money to take care of his or her health. And as it is now, you know how difficult it is in the entire country. And today being my birthday, I thought it wise not to just make merriment, but to touch lives. So we are here to see how we can reach out to them”, he said.
At the General Hospital, Ukpom, the Assemblyman thanked medical workers at the facility for their service to humanity and promised to draw government’s attention to the challenges confronting the hospital.
He also assured the management of Governor Umo Eno’s determination to construct the Ukpom Road linking Uyo and Abak Local Government Area.
In their respective responses, the Secretary, Hospital Administration, Mercy Hospital, Abak, Very Rev. Fr. Canice Ekpo and the Medical Superintendent of General Hospital. Ukpom, Dr. Udeme Ette, thanked the Speaker for his benevolence and prayed God to bless him and his family.
At both hospitals, prayers for good health and God’s protection were offered by the beneficiaries of the medical bills settlement for the Speaker.
Beneficiaries were patients from Abak, Etim Ekpo, Ika, Ini, Uyo, Uruan and Ukanafun Local Government Areas of the state.
The Speaker was also accompanied during the visits by the member representing Okobo State Constituency, Hon. Bassey Pius Bassey and the chairman of Abak Local Government Council, Mrs Ime Charles.