Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, yesterday commissioned the multi-million naira ultra-modern Chest Clinic built by Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited and Agbami Partners in the state.
The governor, who was delighted over the commissioning of the clinic donated to Igbo-Eze North District Hospital in the state, thanked the companies for choosing Enugu for the building of the clinic.
Ugwuanyi, who was represented on the occasion by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Sam Ngwu, also revealed that a total of 1,542 cases of tuberculosis were recorded in the state last year.
He also revealed that of all the cases of tuberculosis recorded in the previous year in the state, more than 20 per cent of them were from Igbo-Eze North LGA.
He, therefore, said that the new hospital would go a long way in cutting down the high rate of tuberculosis cases in the area.
“This project is a monument that reminds us that the state government cannot do it alone. It is quite encouraging and proves that the partners have always sought for the healthcare needs of the people.
“Tuberculosis disease remains a public health threat to Nigerians. Nigeria ranks third in the world in terms of number of people with the disease with about 590,000 incident cases in 2014,” he said.
Ugwuanyi, therefore, thanked the company and its partners for building the project as part of their corporate social responsibility, adding that, “the state government will ensure that this structure will be used effectively and will continue to partner you for improved healthcare delivery to our people”.
In his remark, the Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs of Statoil Petroleum Limited, Mr. Samuel Otuonye, said that the project was part of the partners’ continuous efforts to improve the lives of Nigerians.
He stated that the activities of the partners are hinged on three main areas namely: Education, health and economic empowerment, adding that their activities also spanned other states of the federation.
According to him, “this project which costs over N100 million is part of our efforts to improve healthcare in Nigeria. Part of what we usually do in that regard is that we identify endemic areas and build projects like this as a measure to control or eliminate tuberculosis”.
He noted that the project was not the first of its kind as they have already built about 24 of it in other parts of the country.
Dr Otuonye also said that the clinics are always fully equipped with ultra-modern facilities to ensure effective healthcare services.
He, therefore, urged the members of the community to make effective use of the clinic, saying: “It is when these projects are sustained over a long period of time that we would be encouraged to do more.” -The Sun.
