From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state with access to urgent treatment services.
Speaking while signing the MOU, the Executive Secretary of Benue SEMA, Sir James Iorpuu, said the partnership was a significant milestone in the collective efforts to alleviate the suffering of IDPs in Benue State and to ensure their access to essential and quality healthcare services.
Iorpuu stated that “the plight of our brothers and sisters in IDP camps across Makurdi and Guma LGAs is one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges of our time.
“These vulnerable populations face numerous difficulties, with access to healthcare being one of the most critical. Many IDPs are unable to access the medical attention they urgently need due to financial constraints and logistical barriers.
“It is in recognition of this need that Benue SEMA has sought this collaboration with BSUTH, an institution renowned for its excellence in medical care and service delivery. Through this agreement, IDPs in the 10 designated camps will now have the opportunity to receive timely and quality healthcare services at BSUTH, with the assurance that payments for such services will be settled by SEMA at a later date.”
The SEMA boss said the initiative is not just a demonstration of the commitment of the Benue state government to the welfare of displaced persons but also a testament to the importance of partnerships in addressing the complexities of humanitarian crises.
He expressed confidence that by leveraging the expertise and resources of BSUTH and the coordination capabilities of SEMA, Benue State is setting a precedent for how institutions can work together to achieve common goals for the betterment of society.
He commended the management of BSUTH, led by the Chief Medical Director (CMD) Dr. Stephen Hwande, for their willingness to collaborate with SEMA, praising their dedication to saving lives and promoting public health, which he said resonates deeply with the mission of Benue SEMA.
He expressed commitment to ensuring that the agreement is implemented effectively and transparently, saying both SEMA and BSUTH must remain accountable to the people they serve, ensuring that the initiative achieves its intended impact in providing relief, dignity, and hope to the vulnerable populations in their care.
In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Dr. Stephen Hwande, commended Governor Hyacinth Alia, through SEMA, for what he described as a landmark effort to save lives.
Hwande, who lamented that IDPs are plagued by sundry ailments, including hunger, said, “Sometimes the IDPs have Lassa Fever. The other time, they brought in some IDPs to the hospital, and they had no food, and we called SEMA, who provided food.”
Hwande, who disclosed that he and the SEMA boss, Iorpuu, belong to the Knights of St John, a Catholic fraternal service organisation whose members are devoted to charitable acts, said, “What we are doing here today is also a spiritual exercise and part of our knighthood and obligation to serve humanity.”
He pledged to support SEMA by giving discounts for the treatment of ailments that require expensive medication, pledging to keep to the provisions of the agreement, which he said is another avenue to treat Benue people.