As the Buhari led administration draws to an end in a few days, the Federal Government has yet again kept to one of its promises of delivering quality and affordable healthcare to all Nigerians, by upgrading the General Hospital Onitsha to Federal Medical Centre Onitsha, on Thursday the 18th of May, 2023.
The Honourable Minister of State for Health, Hon. Joseph Ekumankama who unveiled the new Hospital said the upgrade will ease the pains, sufferings and predicaments of the people of Onitsha and its environs in terms of accessing affordable, modern and reliable healthcare services.
This upgrade the Minister said, will bring accelerated infrastructural development and increased funding from the Federal Government.” There will be reduction in medical tourism to Asaba and Nnewi, upgrade of staff into the federal government payroll. The conversion gives the hospital the accreditation to begin residency training for resident doctors that would graduate to Consultants as well as create employment opportunities for doctors and medical personnel”.
Speaking further, Hon. Ekumankama said the Centre is mandated to provide preventive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare services to all Nigerians. This he said, must reflect in service delivery amongst staff of the Centre. “Your core values should be patient/client first, integrity, result oriented, teamwork, commitment and professionalism. He commended the State Governor for his doggedness, commitment and passion in the health sector and the Senator representing Anambra North Senatorial District, Sen. Stella Oduah who advocated and sponsored of the bill.
The State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo represented by the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the honour done to the people of the South East States, Anambra in particular describing it as a parting gift to Ndigbo.
Earlier, the acting Medical Director Dr. Mercy Anugwu, informed that the move to establish FMC Onitsha was facilitated by the need to bridge the existing gap between primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare delivery in Anambra State. “Diseases have continued to ravage many communities due to the distance between communities and tertiary healthcare institutions. Patients cannot access specialist hospitals where ailments can be properly diagnosed and adequate treatment given. This unfortunate situation has also compounded the challenge of maternal and infant mortality with densely populated urban and rural communities worst hit”.
The FMC Onitsha will provide services in specialized areas like Neuro-Surgery, Cardiology, Urology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Internal Medicine, Radiotherapy, Ear, Nose and Throat Treatment (ENT), Gynaecology, Psychiatry, Nuclear Medicine and other fields of Medicine that may be required by Nigerians.
By: Blessing Efem
Signed: Ahmadu Chindaya (Deputy Director Media & Public Relations)
