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From Isaac Job, Uyo
Akwa Ibom state government has outlawed the use of hospital ambulance to convey corpses for burials.
It also established a public complaints office in the state Ministry of Health to check excesses of doctors and other medical personnel as part of efforts to reposition hospitals for effective service delivery in the health sector reforns by the state government under Arise Agenda of pastor Umo Eno .
Addressing Journalists during the monthly media briefing at Government House Uyo, the commissioner of Health Dr Ekem John described the ban as one of the most audacious introduction within the health sector reforms .
He said corpses are conveyed by hearse ,warning that any ambulance wether privately owned, state or mission ambulance, caught conveying corpses for bural would be impounded
“His Excellency has now institutionalised Akwa Ibom State Emergency Medical Service Ambulance System, which is one of the most audacious introduction in the health sector in the state.It started as a policy but it is now an agency established by law.
“Through this law the state government has now criminalised and outlaw the use of ambulances to carry corpses . In the last one year and six months under the reforms of His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno, we have returned our ambulances operations to the level found in the Western World
” You will not find any government ambulance at any burial site. The law is very clear, wether it is a privately owned ambulance , mission ambulance or government ambulance, you cannot carry corpses . Corpses are carried by Hearse and when you now use our ambulance to carry corpses, you are creating a public health threat to the rest of the public.
“The law now empowers government officials to impound the ambulance . So let people know that when they go to hire ambulance for their burial, those ambulance can be intercepted on the road ” He said .
The Health Commissioner who was accompanied by Commissioner of Information Hon Aniekan Umanah and the Chief Press Secretary to governor Umo Eno Mr Ekerette Udoh at the briefing disclosed that 9 health related bills have been sent to the State House of Assembly for deliberation and onward passage into law covering areas such as hospital governance,public health security ,HIV prevention,protection and anti- discrimination and public health standard regulations
He explained that when the health standard regulatory bills becomes law, the agency will be the right one to prescribe minimum acceptable standard for all health facilities in the state.
John disclosed that the Ministry of Health in the state have established hospital complaints unit tagged “Health Ombudsman” to serve as checks and feedback mechanism for government to address complaints from members of the public to enable government fix the health sector .
“We have established health ombudsman in the ministry of health to handle complaints in hospitals
“This unit will also serve as a feedback mechanism for government so that we can address complaints from patients and also monitor our health personnel in service delivery in line with the state of emergency declared by governor Umo Eno in the health sector
“So far we have received several complaints and addressed them properly ”
John highlighted major health sector reforms by governor Umo Eno in the state such as emergency ambulance system, review of health workers welfare, employment of 3000 health workers, training of more than 1000 Birth Attendants, renovation of 19 Primary Healthcare Centres and completion of 2 health facilities in Ukanafun and Airport Medical Centre respectively.
“We have renovated two secondary health facilities, employ 3000 medical personnel, upgraded equipment
He said other health reforms by governor Umo Eno in the last one year include equipment upgrade at Immanuel General Hospital, Eket , refined maternity services with free maternal care, oxygen security in hospitals, reduction of malaria and HIV surge in the state , contribute to national family planning basket.
“Our hospitals have carried out caesarian surgeries on pregnant women free of charge
“Pregnancy is not a disease , therefore government tries as much as possible to assist pregnant women to put to birth
“By this effort , infant and maternal mortality have reduced in our hospitals”
