Kumbungu (N/R), Aug. 9, GNA - Madam Veronica Zenabu Salifu, Executive Director for the Global Mission for the Needy, an NGO, has donated hospital equipments worth 80,000 dollars to the Kumbungu health centre in the Tolon/Kumbungu district of the Northern Region. The equipments included five operation theatre beds, medical materials and some used clothing to be distributed to the needy. Presenting the items to the health centre on Saturday at Kumbungu, the Executive Director said her outfit was touched by the plight of the hospital's inadequate health equipments, which militates against quality healthcare delivery in the area.

She said Global Mission for the Needy had in the past four years assisted some communities in the Tolon/Kumbungu district with technical support of medical workers, opticians, field officers and volunteers to improve healthcare.

The Director of the NGO said sight problems were very common in the area and had in the past donated eye glasses for the visually impaired, hospital equipments and used clothes to improve the living conditions of the people.

Madam Zenabu commended the Agape Samaritan International of USA for assisting the NGO with the equipments.

The Deputy Northern Regional Minister Mr Bukari Moses Mabengba lauded the efforts of Global Mission for the Needy for complementing government's mission of providing quality healthcare. He however appealed to the people to take good care of the equipment, which are rare to come-by in the current global financial crisis.

The District Chief Executive for Tolon/Kumbungu Mr Iddi Manzah Mahama said the healthcare of the people was very paramount if the country wants to achieve a middle-income status. He said it was the responsibility of the government to provide the basic health needs, especially reduction of child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS and other diseases to help achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs).

Mr Mahama commended the NGO and appealed to other benevolent organizations to emulate the example of the Global Mission for the Needy.

Mr Imoro Yakubu, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Kumbungu constituency expressed his disappointment at the lackadaisical attitude the Northern Regional Health Administration attached to the donation. He said it was disappointing that an infant organization like the Global Mission for the Needy donating equipments worth 80,000 dollars to a health facility and the Regional Director of Health was absent. The MP promised to put up two KVIPs and healthcare pavilions out of his common fund to assist the people improve sanitation. 9 Aug. 09