By Nelson Utip
The Management of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, (UUTH) Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has expressed their desire the for the expansion of The Health Insurance Scheme to cover their patients so as to reduce the financial burden of out-of-pocket payment by patients. The hospital Management also calle on The State Government to subvent to for emergency care of indigent patients in the hospital, pointing out the fact that, the present Accident and Emergency complex is inadequate to cope with the emergency cases prevalent in the hospital.Prof EmemAbasi Bassey, The Chief Medical Director of The Hospital disclosed this in a welcome address, during the commissioning of the renovated and equipped Accident and Emergency Block funded by the Nigeria LNG Hospital Support Programme phase 2 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital recently. Prof Bassey observed that the hospital was not able to achieve it’s full potential as a Regional Center of Medical Excellence due to overstretched equipments.
“UUTH is usually the first and at times the only point of call in many cases of major Road Traffic Accidents, Medical and Surgical Emergencies in the state and our capacity to handle these large number of cases is overstretched. It is on record that there was a proposal by ExxonMobil Ltd to build a Trauma Centre in the hospital and a groundbreaking was done by the then State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel in 2017 but until the present day the Trauma Centre is yet to be built. The hospital community is extremely grateful to the Nigeria LNG for a promise kept.
“The UUTH is presently the only Federal Government owned health institution in Akwa Ibom State and was initially established as the Akwa Ibom State Specialist Hospital in 1994, it metamorphosed into the Federal Medical Centre Uyo in 1997, eventually becoming a teaching hospital in 1998. It is important to note that until recently the infrastructural development within the institution had not kept pace with its transition putting a lot of pressure on the existing facilities. This Accidents and Emergency facility was completed and put to use in 2009”. The CMD said.
He was full of appreciation for NLNG for the speedy completion and equipment of the facility which took only one year.
“The conversation for the inclusion of UUTH Uyo in the second phase of the NLNG Hospital Support programme began late in 2021 and after a series of visits, meetings and technical reviews the MOU was finally signed between the UUTH and the NLNG on the 20.02.2023 in Abuja. Actual implementation began in April 2023 after completion of the procurement process. “This project has been made possible by the provision of the equivalent of 500,000 USD (N 282,914,958,74) by the NLNG, a considerable sum of money has also been committed by the hospital management for the project for the equipping of the Laboratory unit, Radiology Suite amongst others.
“The existing building was totally renovated with the roof, ceiling, doors, electrical and mechanical fittings changed. The floor finishing was done, and a new theatre recovery room and new patient toilets were constructed, and the entire plumbing system overhauled. Oxygen pipping was done in the critical care and theatre suites as well as the recovery rooms and 2 oxygen manifolds installed. Modern sophisticated medical and surgical equipment have also been supplied, installed and tested, and offices and call rooms furnished.
“The Accidents and Emergency complex can now function as a mini trauma centre and consists of an Ambulance Bay, Triage section with an examination room and cubicles for minor surgical procedures, a Critical care section which is a High Dependency Unit, a 16 bedded observation ward, 2 consulting rooms, nursing stations, medical records library, Doctors lounge, call rooms, offices, billing and payment unit and a plaster room. “The facility also has 2 well equipped theatre rooms and recovery room, a Radio-diagnostic unit with a mobile Xray, ultrasound scan and a 12-channel echocardiogram, it also has a well equipped laboratory unit with a blood bank and a pharmacy unit. It is our desire to install a CT-scan as well as fully digitalize the operations in the near future.
“The facility is equipped with a 15 KVA solar inverter for uninterrupted power supply and the hospital has also acquired a 100kVA generator as backup for the facility”. The CMD explained. Prof Bassey assured that, when fully operational, the facility will enhance and shorten the time for emergency response to saving live, which has been a major challenge the hospital usually faces and the inability of patients to assess emergency care and to pay for services.
In his remarks on the occasion, The Minister for state on Petroleum (Gas) Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the gesture by the NLNG is in tandem with the cardinal area of President Tinubu’s administration, which is focused on education, health care delivery and social investment as essential pillers of development. NLNG’s Hospital Support Programme is not just a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) endeavor but a live line to millions of Nigerians, providing access to improved health care facilities and services, epitomizes commitment to enhancing health care delivery across Nigeria according to The Minister of State. Ekpo while commending NLNG said that the completion and commissioning of projects phase one of the programme has already marked significant improvement in the nation’s health care infrastructure calling more operating companies in Nigeria energy sector, to emulate the good gesture across education and health sectors of the economy.
“As the Minister of State on Petroleum -Gas, I am pleased to see oil and gas sector contribute positively to other critical sectors of the economy. The interlinkages between industries are vital for the holistic national development and the project by NLNG is a clear manifestation of the positive impact such collaboration could present”. Ekpo said.
Dr Philip Mshelbila, The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG said the gesture was a demonstration of the NLNG resolve to save lives in Nigeria, even as it presents a clear message of what is possible when private and public sector work together for the betterment of the people.
He said the preoccupation of NLNG was the pursuit of interventions, initiatives or experiences that make life meaningful for Nigerians moulded on the four pillars of education, economic empowerment, infrastructure and health.
“Yes, health. That is the basis for being here today. A healthy nation is the foundation for a wealthy nation, hence successes in other areas of development are anchored on sound health. It is indeed my belief that today’s commissioning of this renovated Accident and Emergency Unit opens new vistas for sustainable growth of Akwa Ibom state and indeed Nigeria.
“We all know the importance of a world class Accident and Emergency Care Centre in a growing urban centre like Uyo.
“The Board of Directors of Nigeria LNG Limited approved the Hospital Support Initiative in 2021, a National CSR Health Support Program with the objective to boost healthcare delivery system following the COVID-19 pandemic. The program consists of health intervention projects across 12 federal university teaching hospitals across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“This is the first project being commissioned under the phase two of this programme. We have completed and commissioned projects in six hospitals in phase one of the project. The hospitals are University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada; University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos. Others are Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano; Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Yenegoa and University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar”. The CEO expressed.
Dr. Mshelbila hailed the Project Steering Committee for abiding strictly with the MoU signed between The Company and University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, observing that it has ensured that the project was executed on time and according to budget while expressing the hope that the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital will put the facilities to use in saving lives of Nigerians, even beyond the confines of Akwa Ibom. Akwa Ibom State governor Pastor Umo Eno during the occasion asserted that, his administration is particular about the health of those resident in Akwa Ibom, hence many health facilities that has been developed within his few months as governor of the state, represented by The the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah he stated that Akwa Ibom State Government is ready to partner the UUTH in projects execution, irrespective of the fact that it is a Federal Government institution.
The occasion also witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony of a one storey expansion of the Accident & Emergency block project, to complement the existing structure. A planned renovation and equipping as well as expantion of the Children’s Emergency unit to cater for paediatric emergencies was also requested.
