By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom in collaboration with the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi have treated over 2,981 victims of snake bites in the state.
Catholic Bishop of Makurdi, His Lordship Wilfred Chirkpa Anagbe disclosed this during the commissioning of a New Ultra Modern Laboratory at the Bishop Murray Medical Center, under the Makurdi Catholic Diocesan Global Integrated Health Initiative.
Bishop Anagbe also explained that out of the treated number, 64 deaths have been recorded while over 2,917 persons survived.
He observed that partnership of the governor with the church for humanitarian services has helped to a large extent to save many lives.
He lamented over the destruction of Catholic hospitals and schools in Agagbe, and Udei in Gwer West and Guma Local Government Areas respectively, where their hospitals and schools were destroyed by suspected herdsmen, threatening to institute cases against the herdsmen uptil the Vatican.
Governor Samuel Ortom disclosed that over N680 million has been expended on snake bite victims.
“Initially,my foundation was handling the snake bites before I became governor. At a point I owed the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Rahama Hospital and Bishop Murray Hospital N70 million, and when I became governor, through a State Executive memo from the Commissioner for Health, it was agreed to hand it over to state government which has expended N680 million.
Government will provide Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing Machines,PCR Machines worth N20 million to the hospital.
“For me, it is a responsibility to complement what the Church is doing and there is a lot of benefits. It has been a potent instrument in helping me add value to human life”, Ortom said.