Drive Time:
Ibesikpo LGA - Akpabuyo LGA
Akpabuyo - Khana 2.5 hrs
Not every stop on the campaign trail is filled with sunshine and afrobeat. Our first let-down was the Primary Health Centre in Akwa Ibom state. Not because the place looked run down but it was as good as deserted. Doors were padlocked shut, rooms were thick with cobwebs and dust, and beds were devoid of mattresses. The Village Head turned up at the centre to welcome Team Solar Jooce, but there were no clinic staff in sight! We shot down a suggestion to hand over our solar lamp gift to the gateman/security man, and advised that we would return to this basic healthcare centre only when there was visible proof that it functioned.
We had a much better experience in Cross Rivers state. First of all, Calabar is such a beautifully kept city. Anxious to follow our brief (we had asked to donate a solar lamp to a ‘clinic of contrasts’), our local contact, Bishop Archibong Archibong took time out of his church service to hand us over to the Akpabuyo Local Government Chairman, Hon. Boniface Archibong.
The Ikot Offfiong Ambai health centre , recommended by Hon. Archibong, fit the ‘clinic of contrasts’ description perfectly. It had some of the more advanced medical equipment we had seen so far (including mosquito nets and all), yet the centre had no electricity. The ubiquitous kerosene lantern and candle lighting solution was well and alive here, and so, expectedly our solar lamp donation was very well received.
Our favourite stop of the day was the visit to Pope John Paul II clinic in Eeken, Rivers state. Rev. Sister Marie drove up to meet us at Ikot Abasi (Akwa Ibom state) and led us to the clinic, just metres away from the Akwa Ibom border. Sister Marie would remind you of the extra-jovial Reverend sister in the film, Sister Act. She and her team were really excited to receive our solar lamp/phone charger, and the reactions so spontaneous - they did what we now call 'the solar lamp dance' in appreciation of our gift. Sister Marie shared with us that because of the long hours of darkness at the clinic, patients preferred to check themselves out over the weekend (especially children) and then return during the weekday.
She said the new solar lamp would be useful especially in the maternity ward (where kerosene lanterns are used for birthing) and in trauma cases, when a bright solar light can mean the difference between a bad suture and a good one.
The clinic does have a generator which, because of the high cost of diesel, is used only for surgery in high trauma cases.
Finally, Sister Marie added that the better lighted the clinic was, the more it would encourage the sick to come in and have themselves properly looked at.
Connectivity:
Mobile phone: Glo outperforms MTN in both Akwa Ibom and Cross River state. MTN is the stronger network in Portharcourt.
Internet: Acceptable speed in Akwa Ibom. Faster experience in Port Harcourt.
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