By Chioma Onuegbu

THE Chief Medical Director at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, Akwa Ibom state, Prof. Ememabasi Bassey, has said that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted positively on Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.

Bassey who spoke while interacting with newsmen Monday in Uyo explained that the lockdown which prevented highly placed and prominent individuals from traveling abroad for medical attention has forced Nigerian leaders to see the need to look inwards and develop the country’s health care system.

He disclosed that the present federal government has made more investments in medical infrastructure since the COVID-19 outbreak, and acknowledged receipt of the sum of N859m funds released by the federal government to execute key COVID-19 intervention projects and programmes.

He even noted that critical surgeries hitherto conducted outside the country were successfully done within during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“During the pandemic the Federal Government released funds to the management of the Teaching hospital Uyo, opened a modular testing laboratory and other projects that could help in combating the virus.

“That money was meant to allow us function.
The projects provided for include: establishment of molecular laboratory, procurement of personal protective equipment, establishment of isolation centre and establishment of a 10 bedded Intensive Care Unit .

” It also has a pediatric/neonatal intensive care unit.”We had an ICU, but it was a bit of a sorry sight. We had to totally renovate the building and against 10, we ended up having a 16 bedded ICU. That ICU is the best in the South South.

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“Before COVID-19, we had one molecular laboratory for HIV and hepatitis and we cannot mix. We had a building; we now tried to do an expansion. When the inspection team came, they rejected that, that the molecular laboratory requires a certain flow, so we had to build.

“As we speak, that centre has been accredited by NCDC. The first time they came, we had an issue, then they came back for accreditation. We are just waiting for them to come back for activation”

The CMD who noted that he was working on completing between six to eight major projects for inauguration before the end of this year, assured that due diligence were followed in all contract awards and execution both on the COVID-19 intervention projects and other ongoing projects inherited at various levels of completion.

He stressed that almost all the buildings met on ground were ongoing, adding, “The GOPD is, completed and furnished. I make bold to say that there is no government hospital that has a better GOPD in this country than ours. We have completed the radio diagnostics (CT Scan) building.

“The laboratory block which we met at the earthing level, has been completed though it may not be ready for commissioning.The molecular laboratory building has been completed and fully equipped, awaiting commissioning. We are currently embarking on a water expansion project.

“We met the water capacity between 30,000- 40,000; now we are targeting 200,000. So far we have achieved over 100,000 liters daily. We are expecting the Health Minister to visit the hospital before the end of the year to commission not less than 6-8 projects”. Bassey disclosed.

Vanguard News Nigeria