Despite the expulsion of the former governor of Enugu State and senator representing Enugu East in the Senate, Chimaroke Nnamani, from the Peoples Democratic Party, he has continued to publicly drum his support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Barely a week after his expulsion from the PDP which he described as “illegal,” the senator had for the umpteenth time hailed Tinubu for his contributions to nation building.

The PUNCH reported that the National Working Committee of the PDP on Friday expelled some chieftains of the party, including Nnamami, over alleged anti-party activities and other offences that infringe on the party’s constitution.

However, in a statement on Tuesday, Nnamani extolled the exploits of Tinubu as the one who improved the health sector significantly in Lagos State. He noted Tinubu helped to reduce the prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome during his tenure as the governor.

He said, “It is to Tinubu’s credit that HIV/AIDS prevalence in Lagos state decreased from 6.7 per cent to 3.5 per cent between 1999 and 2007 while more than 2,000 women received Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission in 10 PMTCT centres set up to prevent the disease.

“Tinubu kick-started the Roll back malaria programme under which more than 3.6 million patients received free treatment and over one million treated nets as well as BCC/IEC supplied, respectively.

“To end poliomyelitis, a national immunization program was launched, Lagos State keyed in and more than 2.5 million children received the vaccines as a result.

“Under the Tinubu government, Lagos State launched a School Health Program, which provided free eyes screening and treatment for about 6,600 students and provided free milk to over 900 public schools totaling about 297,000 students.”

Nnamani stressed that Tinubu’s free health care and reproductive programme covered children under 12 years and adults over 60 years with free prenatal care for expectant mothers.

On eye diseases, Nnamani pointed out that “over 654,000 adults were examined as part of Lagos State’s Blindness Preventive Programme and 221,000 received free glasses and medication in addition to free medication, while 11,000 persons received free surgical procedures under Tinubu’s administration”

The Enugu-East senator further stated that Lagos State budget allocation for health under Tinubu, increased from N1.6bn to N11.8bn between 1999 and 2006 while more than 3,400 people were employed by the state as well as over 5,000 healthcare professionals trained in various programmes.

To stop the brain drain from the health sector, Nnamani recalled that Tinubu implemented several allowances for medical personnel and initiated a rural health ambulance boat service, hospital-based 24 hours free emergency services, pre-hospital ambulance service, drug quality control laboratory, establishment of an environmental health monitoring unit and completion of abandoned hospital projects, among others

He said, “Tinubu’s 10 Point Agenda, also known as the Lagos Economic Advanced Programme, a strategy to leap the state on higher sustainable growth, was admired, particularly those that concerned the full execution of health sector reforms, a development that earned the state national and international awards.”

He stated that Tinubu’s record of achievements in Lagos state puts him in better stead to lead the country at this time. (The PUNCH)

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