The Press briefing by the Nigerian Centenary charity ball on bequeating legacy projects in the health sector
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).
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