41 patients receive support on Udom Emmanuel’s 54th birthday

Two mothers of multiple birth children at Saint Luke’s Hospital Anua, and 39 other patients in Akwa Ibom state have received financial support to offset their hospital bills.

The financial support was given to some indigent patients at Saint Luke’s Hospital Anua Uyo; General Hospital, Iquita Oron and; General Hospital Ikot Ekpene, by Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement, AILM, a sociopolitical group in the state.

The group said it is in celebration of the 54th birthday of Udom Emmanuel, the governor.

One of the patients at General Hospital, Iquita, Oron, who benefited from the outreach by the group was discharged from the hospital more than a fortnight ago, according to the hospital management.

She could not pay her outstanding bill of N5000, hence she could not leave the hospital.

Presenting the cash donation to the benefiting patients at General Hospital, Iquita, Oron and Saint Luke’s Hospital, Anua, Uyo, Emmanuel Sam, national leader of Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement, said the group chose to celebrate the governor’s birthday with people in need of hospitals across the three senatorial districts of the state.

Sam, who is the special assistant on local media to Emmanuel, said members of the movement were pleased to use the governor’s birthday to reach out to some Akwa Ibom people.

“As a group, we have visited three hospitals, one in each of the three senatorial districts, and have paid the bills of some patients. This is our own birthday gift to the governor”, he said.

Sam added that Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement which exists to mobilise people and build a community-based leadership network through them, to promote and entrench good governance, raise strong awareness on political justice and strengthen citizens’ participation in governance.

Presenting the group’s donation to patients at general hospital, Mendy Archibong, deputy national leader of Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement, encouraged the patients to be hopeful of a quick recovery.

Archibong, who is the managing director of Goodtime Group of Companies, told the patients that Emmanuel loves them that is why he has always encouraged everyone who wishes to celebrate him on his birthday to channel such funds to people in hospitals and others in need.

Beneficiaries of the reach out and management of the hospitals visited lauded the group and wished the governor a happy birthday.

Mothers of the multiple birth children, Ekemini Effiong, and Uduak Asuquo, who received N20,000 each thanked Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement for her charity towards them and their children.

Others who benefited from the outreach at General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene, Bruno Obot and Akaninyene Isidore, secretary-general, Joint Association of Persons With Disabilities, Akwa Ibom state as well as Ekaette Ekpenyong Nyong at General Hospital, Iquita, wished Emmanuel, a happy birthday.

In separate remarks, management of three hospitals visited during the outreach lauded members of AILM for the gesture.