…Presents N30m intervention fund to UUTH

…Persuade ExxonMobil to complete abandoned Trauma centre- UUTH to Eno

By Egufe Yafugborhi & Chioma Onuegbu

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has said his administration is committed to ensuring the completion of the State University Teaching Hospital in the ONNA local government area which was initiated and started by the past administration.

According to a statement yesterday by the Government House Press Unit Eno gave the assurance on Monday while interacting with the management of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) who were on a courtesy visit to his office in Uyo.

Eno explained that work is being intensified to ensure the completion of the medical facility conceived to enhance public access to healthcare facilities and services, especially in rural communities and complement UUTH services.

He described the large number of patients that crowd around the UUTH to seek medical attention as alarming, hence the determination of his administration to establish in every local government a model healthcare institution.

His words, “We are working very hard to see if we can give you respite by having two Teaching Hospitals in the State. The beauty of it is that it will complement the services of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).

“And since Doctors are not many you will be the ones to consult for us and we will always come calling for your assistance to help us.
And as you know the secondary healthcare was taken care of in the last administration.

“But a lot of people in the rural communities still don’t have access to healthcare facilities and services and that shows that there’s a gap. So we are driving the Primary Health Care (PHC). And I believe that by the time we leave office, we should be able to at least have a Model PHC Center in every Local Government.

“And companies operating in our communities and Donor Agencies can adopt this model for us. Also, we should be able to put Ambulance services in our Local Government to help our people as we promised during our campaigns”

While responding to issues raised by the UUTH management earlier, Governor Eno expressed concern over the prevalence of cancer and renal diseases and appealed to medical experts on the need to sensitise the public on prevention measures.

He presented a Cheque of Thirty Million Naira (30 million) to the management of the UUTH as a government intervention fund for the treatment of diseases.

“On the issue of renal failure, we are trying to open a medical corridor beside the Ibom Specialist Hospital. We are working hard and we are trusting God that we will be able to get it started. I have been promised that within one year if the funds are available the centre will be operational”, Eno noted.

In his earlier remarks, the Chief Medical Director, of UUTH, Prof. Ememabasi Bassey, commended the state government for the priority accorded to the health sector, assuring that the UUTH will partner with it to deliver on the vision for the health sector.

Bassey listed challenges of the UUTH to include a dearth of infrastructure, Shortage of manpower, and poor funding and appreciated the governor for the appointment of Dr Ekem John as his Special Assistant on Medical Affairs, as well as the reappointment of Prof. Augustine Umoh as Commissioner for Health.

He even appealed to the state government to commence the implementation of the Health Insurance Scheme and also persuaded ExxonMobil Company to complete the abandoned Trauma Center and institute an endowment fund for the emergency treatment of indigenes at the Accident & Emergency Unit.