From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Coordinating Minister of health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate has disclosed that the health sector in Nigeria is presently undergoing various transformational changes under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking in Anambra State yesterday during the commissioning of projects and performing the ground breaking ceremony of a state-of the-art radio-diagnostic centre for the southeast zone at the permanent site of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Prof. Pate said President Tinubu is focused towards improving the health and wellbeing of the Nigerian people through the provision of health infrastructure and quality human resources in the sector.
While lauding the Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja and his management team for driving the incremental progress recorded so far within the short period he has been calling the shots in the institution, he also appreciated other illustrious sons of Anambra like Sir Emeka Offor, Chief Cletus Ibeto and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah for their contributions towards taking the teaching hospital to its enviable status.
“This hospital represents the effort of the federal government towards ensuring that we deliver on that mandate and we will continue to do that, building on what has already happened before us. Beyond the role of the government at the federal level, we know the state government has also contributed their own bit in this area, building roads and also the private individuals and captains of industries.
“We have seen the exemplary behavior of Sir Emeka Offor, Chief Cletus Ibeto and others who have contributed and put their wealth in contributing towards investing in health. Health is wealth and you can’t do anything without health and that is why Mr. President is priotising investing in health and doing so in collaboration with all members of the society because together, we can improve this country despite the difficulties we are going through in the country. We are mindful that God in His wisdom has placed in the saddle, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to provide steady leadership through this crisis we are going through” he said.
Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja in an address said that we took over as the CMD in 2021 , he outlined nine strategic pillars towards achieving a new vision of making the teaching hospital among the top three health facilities in Nigeria by the year 2030. He said those nine pillars also aligns with the Health Minister’s vision through the Nigeria HEALTH Sector Renewal Initiative and and his four strategic pillars of improving governance of the health sector , enhancing population health outcomes , unlocking the healthcare value chain and ensuring health security.
Ugboaja said his objective for infrastructural development is to create a world-class healthcare facility in Anambra that sets the standard for excellence in patient care , medical education and research.
“This vision is driven by our commitment to providing a safe, efficient and innovative environment that meets the evolving needs of our patients, staff, and the community. Our focus spans key infrastructures including physical facilities, power, transportation, energy and utilities. Over the last three years, we have achieved significant milestone in key infrastructure areas” Ugboaja said.
The CMD also appealed to the Minister to consider NAUTH as one of the beneficiaries of his numerous interventions in the infrastructural upgrade of tertiary health facilities in the country and also for the approval for the recruitment of additional manpower for the hospital to measure up with its upgrade to 2000 bed capacity from its 300 bed facility it operated from in its old facility.
Among the projects commissioned by the Minister included the new General Outpatient Department (GOPD) facility named after Dr Cletus Ibeto and the new ultramodern Medical Ward Complex named after Sir Emeka Offor.