Jubilation as FG opens NAUTH Nnewi permanent site

From Ifeoma Ejiofor

There was jubilation in the industrial town of Nnewi as the federal government officially opened the permanent site of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH)

The Minister of State for Health, Joseph Ekumankama, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the occasion, said that the National Health Act has made it mandatory for all Nigerians to receive free medical care up to the tune of N250,000 per year, irrespective of tribe, religion, and ethnic group.

He said the Act has also supported the issuance of health insurance for all Nigerians.

The minister pointed out that the current administration had made it mandatory that the health sector receives 100 percent budget funding, stressing the importance of the teaching hospital in providing quality health care delivery and well-being, not just to the people of Anambra but the entire South-East residents.

He added that moving the hospital to its permanent site is a historical event, which began over two decades ago while appealing to the people, staff, and management to ensure that the facility did not come under any vandalism.

He said, “What we see here today is a lot of sacrifices, a lot of projects sought the attention from the national budget, but the Federal Government decided to invest heavily in this particular project because of its importance to the well-being of the people.

“It will be a thing of sorrow if, in the next few years to come if this facility is seen to be deteriorating. Make sure you do everything possible to ensure that you render the best health care services to the people who will come from far and near to receive medical health care from this hospital and ensure the maintenance of these beautiful edifices.”

In her contributions, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs. Adejoke Adefulire-Orelope, emphasized that one of the basic goals of the SDGs was to ensure effective primary health care in rural communities.

“There is still TV work to be done, the work is still ongoing, and we will continue to work with the new administration to ensure that the project is continuing,” she added.

The Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Dr. Joseph Ugboaja, in his welcome address, said that the inauguration and moving into the hospital’s permanent site was one of his agenda when he assumed office.

Ugboaja stressed that he and his staff would do everything humanly possible to ensure that the hospital is positioned to a level it will be globally competitive among the top five in the world.

The Chairman Management Board of the hospital, Mr. Ezekiel Afukonyo, said that since its inception, more than 30 years, the hospital has operated from its temporary site, which has limited space for proper patient care treatment and future expansion.

Afukonyo noted that the board resolved to move the hospital to its permanent site to meet the yearnings of the people.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, who represented the governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, stressed that Nnewi has been designed to be among the centres to be providing advanced medical services.

“We thank the President for this historic event, which started over two decades ago. We plan to be producing oxygen cylinders here and to make this place a centre to provide advanced medical services. Buildings, equipment and structure do not make hospital, what makes hospital is the quality of service being rendered and we will continue to partner with relevant institutions to ensure enhanced service delivery,” he added.

A number of staff of NAUTH Nnewi who spoke with journalists during the inauguration commended the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the for living up to his promises before assuming office.

They said excitedly that Prof Ugbaja has indeed transform the landscape of the medical institution.