By Gabriel Olawale

Governor Peter Obi has distributed grants of over one billion naira, being part of a total of 3 billion naira he said had been set aside to turn around selected missionary healthcare institutions in the next 1 year.

The money is to be utilised by the hospitals to improve their infrastructure such as hostel projects and accreditation programmes. Governor Obi, also distributed Millenium Development Goals, MDGs medical equipment valued at over N135 million to Government and Mission health facilities, across the State.

The benefiting schools for the hostel projects are school of midwifery Iyi Enu; School of Nursing, Iyi Enu; School of Midwifery, Our Lady of Lourdes, Ihiala; School of Nursing, Our Lady of Lourdes, Ihiala; School of Midwifery, Ani and School of Midwifery,Waterside Onitsha with each receiving N60 million. Iyienu Hospital, Ogidi received N120 million grant for its accreditation programme; Borromeo hospital, Onitsha, N100 million,Our Lady of Lourdes hospital, Ihiala N90 million, and Saint Joseph’s hospital, Adazi N90 million.

from left; Archbishop Valerian, Gov Peter and Bishop Owen Nwokolo during the handing over hospital equipment to selected hospitals in the state

Among the beneficiaries of the MDGs medical equipment are 55 government health facilities, 20 health facilities of the Anglican Communion and 25 health facilities owned by the Catholic Church.

In his speech, Obi said the six hostels were part of the new 10 hostels government was building in various Schools of Nursing and Midwifery while government will spend over N3 billion in the hospitals within one year to lay strong foundation for effective and affordable healthcare delivery.

He said his administration was determined to reposition the hospitals to meet the health needs of the people and discourage overseas treatment.

Chairman, MDGs implementation committee and Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Professor Chinyere Okunna , explained that the event signaled the winding down of the 2009 MDGs activities, while the disbursement of funds marked the commencement of the planned massive turnaround of the health sector in the state.

The Commissioner announced that monitoring teams from the Presidency and the State Ministry of Planning and Budget would be visiting the facilities to confirm that all items of the equipment were fully deployed.

Commissioner for health, Professor Amobi Ilika said the empowerment would further strengthen the health institutions as collaborators in the drive to reposition the health sector and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Ilika disclosed that the National Universities Commission has given approval to the State University to run a medical school while admission into the State School of Nursing has been increased from 50 to 120.

Responding, the Metropolitan Arch bishop of Onitsha, Most Reverend Valerian Okeke , noted that the Church has laid strong foundation for education and health services which according to him, produced great leaders and intellectuals who helped to reshape the country.

Anglican Bishop on the Niger, Right Reverend Owen Nwokolo extolled the Governor’s bold steps to promote quality health services.