In continuation of his administration’s three-pronged strategy for the development of the health sector which takes into account infrastructure development, provision of medical equipment to health institutions, and welfare of the medical staff, Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has given assurance that he would build staff quarters to provide accommodation within the hospitals for doctors and nurses in the 37 general hospitals across the state.
He said Onitsha, Enugwu-ukwu and Ekwulobia General hospitals would be upgraded to provide comprehensive healthcare in the three senatorial zones.
The governor made this known while inspecting a staff quarters project at the General Hospital, Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area. He observed that the one-storey building comprising of four and three bedroom flats would be replicated in all the general hospitals in the state within two years. Governor Obiano explained that his government considered the provision of accommodation to medical staff very important for the general well being of Ndi Anambra. According to Obiano, “housing doctors and nurses within the hospital premises would enable them provide regular services to the people and respond promptly to emergencies.”
The Chief Medical Officer of the hospital, Dr. Nnamdi Uliagbafusi, requested the governor’s intervention in providing electricity and building perimeter fencing as well as resuscitating the collapsed borehole in the area.
Also speaking, a community leader, Chief Chudi Anyaeji, expressed gratitude to the governor for his various interventions in the area and assured that members of the community were expressing support for his administration.
In a related development Governor Obiano inaugurated the distribution of multi-million naira hospital equipment, drugs and educational materials to various primary health centres and schools at Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Headquarters. He assured that the distribution would take place simultaneously in 21 local government areas of the state.
The governor said the equipment and drugs would help to reposition the primary health centre as first contact on health issues, stressing that the state government was working to ensure that all the centres were revamped within the next nine months.
Governor Obiano said while work was ongoing at the 37 general hospitals, the Onitsha, Enugwu-ukwu and Ekwulobia General Hospitals would be equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities to provide comprehensive healthcare in the three senatorial zones.
The governor also inaugurated the equipment distribution at Ekwusigo Local Government Headquarters, Ozubulu, and that of Anaocha Local Government Area at Neni.
Flagging off the distribution, Governor Obiano said the state government was spending huge resources to equip all categories of hospitals across the state to serve the people better and provide quality healthcare delivery closer to the people
The Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Prof. Solo Chukwudobelu, disclosed that the materials and equipment distributed in Ekwusigo were valued at N67 million; while the medical equipment and education materials being distributed in primary health centres and schools in Anaocha Local Government Area are valued at about N75 million.
Meanwhile, Governor Obiano has commissioned a new three-bedroom bungalow at Obeledu Primary Health Centre in Anaocha Local Government Area and potable water scheme at the centre. The projects were executed under the 2013 MDGs Conditional Grant Scheme. – The Sun.