By Chinedu Adonu

Japanese Government through the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria has installed 51KVA solar-power in Poly General Hospital, Asata in Enugu metropolis.

The 24 hours, uninterrupted solar-power supply, was meant to improve the medical service delivery in the over 1.5 million populated metropolis as well as alleviate health-burden of the people.

Handing over the project to Enugu State Government on Thursday at the hospital, Mr Hiroki Shirai, Head of Development Corporation of Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, said the facility was one of the numerous Japanese government assistants to the country.

Shirai assured the state government and Nigeria in general of Japan’s commitment to rendering services that would help improve medical service delivery in the country.

He urged the management of the hospital to use the opportunity to deliver 24 hours effective medical services to the people and make more services available to the people.

“I am very happy to see your cooperation in accomplishing the project and this project will re-bridge the relationship between Japan and Nigeria even though the COVID-19 pandemic delayed delivery of the project as scheduled,’’ he said.

Responding, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State expressed gratitude to Japanese government for coming to the aid of the Enugu State-owned hospital.

Ugwuanyi, who was represented by  the Administrator of Enugu State Hospital Management Board, Dr Okechukwu Ossai, said that the installation of 24/7 solar-power in Poly General Hospital had improved the medical service delivery.

Hear him: “It is a dream come through. Electricity has been a serious challenge in most of our hospitals; because of power issue – security is a problem and rendering of services is also a problem.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: FMC Umuahia reactivates oxygen plant

“But with the aid of Japanese Embassy in Nigeria; all these challenges have become things of the past in this massive attended hospital.

“I am glad that this is coming immediately after the hospital was given a face lift by the Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who decided to raise the structure and transform it from Poly Clinic to Poly General Hospital.

“The installation of solar-power brought a lot of services that hitherto have not been rendered here; like ultrasound service.

“The large capacity of solar-power that was installed which the facilities have not been able to consume it, we will bring in other facilities that are dependent of constant electricity like X-ray machine, blood bank centre and incubator services for premature babies.

“My gratitude to Japanese government but like Oliver Twist, we assure the Japanese government that we will maintain the solar-power facility in order to be able to ask for more support from the good people of Japan’’.

Earlier, Dr Stanley Ilechukwu, Executive Director of South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO), which is the implementing partners of the Japanese Grassroots Grant Project, expressed gratitude to Japanese Government.

Ilechukwu, however, encouraged the hospital management to take appropriate care of the facility, and provide other necessary equipment to compliment the medical services needed in the hospital.

“We thank the Japanese Government for considering our application and providing the 51KVA solar-power to Poly General Hospital to power the operations and allow the hospital extend more services to the people.

“The Japanese embassy’s mission is that any intervention they embark on would reach at least an estimated 500,000 indigenes of Enugu metropolis living in the axis of Enugu where the hospital is located,’’ he said.