The President of Offa Metropolitan Club (OMC) in Kwara State and former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Dr. Serah Alade, has said that the club is poised to complement the effort of the state government to provide quality and accessible healthcare delivery to the people of Offa community and Nigeria in general.

Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between members of the Offa Metropolitan Club (OMC) and Lancet Laboratories Nigeria in Offa yesterday, the president said the collaboration became imperative as the government cannot shoulder health care service delivery alone.

She said: “Healthcare service cannot be done by the government alone. The resources are not there. What we are trying to say is that stakeholders in communities can be involved in healthcare service delivery, and the government should encourage such so that we can support them in the provision of quality healthcare for the people.”

Alade said the OMC is a private sector driven healthcare intervention by members of the club established in 2022 to provide adequate and sustainable provision of quality and accessible healthcare to make a difference.

She also said part of the ideas behind establishing the centre was to discourage medical tourism, adding that services in the medical centre would include laboratory for test, radiology unit, CT scan machines, theatre, x-ray, as well as maternity unit for mother and child among others.

Alade said the centre aimed to complement efforts of the state government, adding that it would provide affordable healthcare service delivery to members of the Offa and neighbouring communities and towns.

According to her, “Offa Metropolitan Club (OMC) was established in 2019 by members that have a shared passion to make a difference.

“As OMC, we are committed to making a difference by promoting the economic, social and infrastructural development that serves not only our community but that has impact beyond our boundary. Adequate and sustainable provision of quality and accessible healthcare is one of the fundamental foundations in making a difference.

“OMC Medical Centre, inaugurated on December 23, 2022, by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, is a direct articulation of our commitment to address some of the daunting healthcare challenges we face as a state, and indeed as a country.

“The OMC Medical Centre is a model facility with readiness for clinical consultation, surgery, reference laboratory and diagnostic practice.”

The OMC president explained that the MoU signed with the Clina-Lancent Laboratories outfit included provision of laboratory infrastructure, equipment and testing at the OMC medical centre.