The Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase 1 (ATASP-1) has donated a health facility for farmers in Ogbunka community, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
At the inauguration of the hospital on Friday in Adani-Omor Farming Zone, Ogbunka,the Zonal Programme Coordinator of ATASP-1, Dr Romanus Egba said the hospital would provide healthcare services to farmers in the area.
Egba said the programme had also supported farmers in the area with supply of an improved variety of cassava stems, and sorghum, trainings on Good Agronomics Practices (GAPs) and water boreholes.
“ATASP-1 discovered that farmers need certain social and economic infrastructure to improve on their productivity and access to quality healthcare enhances productivity.
“That is why we decided to build hospitals in communities that lack them so that farmers can easily be taken care of when they are sick.
“This hospital is an opportunity for farmers in Ogbunka and neighbouring communities to enjoy good health and wellbeing as well as improved productivity to enhance income generation.
“So, we expect that the facility will be well utilized and maintained,” Egba said.
Also speaking, Gov. Chukwuma Soludo described ATASP-1, which is funded by the African Development Bank, as an important partner in addressing the problems of hunger, unemployment and insecurity in the state.
Soludo, who was represented by the Anambra state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Forster Ihejiofor, commended the management of ATASP-1 for investing in infrastructure development and support for farmers in the state.
“I’m happy to see that this hospital is well equipped to the global standard of a cottage hospital.
“We will work with the Ministry of Health to post health workers to the hospital to provide services to the people in the community and other neighbouring communities.
“We commend ATASP-1 for supporting large-scale farming, agro-processing and improved standard of living for rural farmers in Anambra,” he said.
In his remarks, the Transition Committee Chairman, Orumba South, Mr Neville Uchendu promised that the community would take ownership of the health facility and provide adequate security.
The Chairman of Ogbunka Farmers Cooperative, Mr Gabriel Orie appreciated ATASP-1 for transforming the lives of rural farmers in the area.
Orie said: “They supported cassava farmers in Ogbunka with inputs, training on modern farming techniques and food processing, especially how to use cassava flour to produce confectionaries.
“This hospital is a turning point in the lives of farmers because we will no longer travel long distance to seek medical attention.”
NAN
