The Plateau State Government has released N10 million to support surgeries for 10 children affected by various heart ailments in the state, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Kunden Deyin, has said.

Deyin made the disclosure on Tuesday in Jos while handing over new ambulances to five General Hospitals in the state.

The commissioner did not, however, give the names of the recipients and when the money was released.

He said that the administration was concerned about the health of its people and would ensure access to viable health care services to all residents.

The ambulances were for General Hospitals in Mangu, Barikin-Ladi, Shendam, Langtang and Pankshin.

Deyin said: “We gave the ambulances to them because of how busy these hospitals are; the ambulances would also be of benefit to their surrounding communities.”

He promised that other general hospitals would also be considered.

Dr. Emmanuel Nahu of General Hospital Pankshin, who spoke on behalf of the other recipients, commended the government for making the health sector one of its focal point.

Nahu said the General Hospital has been without an ambulance since 1999.

Nahu said: “We have been without an ambulance since 1999, and this made issues of referral of emergency cases cumbersome as relatives of such patients had to look for alternative means of conveying their patients.”

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10 children get N10m support for heart surgeries in Plateau