… Commissions 100-bed Capacity Specialist Hospital In Ibiono Ibom
By Timothy Ekpo
IBIONO IBOM
As part of efforts to guarantee effective health care delivery in the state, Akwa Ibom Government has renewed its commitment to reposition the health sector to adequately address primary and tertiary health challenges of the people.
Governor Umo Eno stated this at the commissioning of Renewed Hope Mother and Child Specialist Hospital, Oko-Ita in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, recently.
Represented by the deputy governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, the governor acknowledged the commitment of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Her Excellency Adejoke Adefulire, for her tireless and patriotic efforts in interpreting the vision towards improving health care delivery service in the country.
Eno told the gathering that the commissioning of the specialist health facility, which is intended to address mother and child maternity challenges, spoke well of the passionate determination of President Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to address the health care challenges of the people, especially those in the rural communities.
The state chief executive noted that the project aligned with the President’s commitment towards implementing the Sustainable Development Goal 3 which seeks to promote good health and social wellbeing of the people.
“The commissioning of the hospital today, speaks to the passionate desire of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda to continually address the health care needs of our people, especially those in the rural areas, as well as his commitment to implementing the SDG goal number 3, which promotes good health and wellbeing”, he stated.
Eno explained that as part of efforts to key into the vision of the Federal Government in ensuring that the people have access to functional health care delivery service, his administration, with effect from 2023, had embarked on the provision of standard primary health care facilities in the 10 federal constituencies.
He maintained that the intervention in the health care sector, was driven by the believe that a healthy population would ensure a productive society, adding that his administration has built and commissioned many primary health care centres across the 10 federal constituencies.
Eno announced that in no distant time, Akwa Ibom government will flag off the Ibom International Hospital, a 350-bed capacity multi specialist hospital that when completed will be at the forefront of promoting planned medical tourism in the provision of world-class tertiary medical services in the country.
The governor said the Oko-Ita hospital which is meant to address and improve maternal, neo-natal and child health through dedicated care, is intended to ensure that both mother and child receive appropriate intervention at every critical stage of life, with the key outcome of reducing material and child mortality.
As part of measures to ensure the functionality of the facility, Eno said “We are in the process of recruiting medical professionals who will help drive out vision in health care delivery”.
He applauded President Tinubu for his love for the people and request that the Renewal Hope Mother and Child Specialist Hospital provide services for men, pending when a general hospital will be established in the area.
“We heard from the SA that the hospital is majorly for the mother and child, but because we know that women and children cannot make it except the men give us the enablement and the support, they too have the right to access the facility pending when a general hospital would be established in the area”, he appealed.
Eno urged youths in the area to take ownership of the project by ensuring that the equipment and other facilities are not stolen or vandalised.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Adefulire, said the commissioning of the facility in Ibiono Ibom, reaffirmed government collective commitment to deliver quality health care to the most vulnerable segment of the society and represented a vital step in the Nation’s journey to achieve the SDGs, 3.
Adefulire stated that the hospital, which comprises operation theatre, recovery rooms, private and central wards, consulting rooms, laboratory and screening room, emergency cart with full complement and ultra scan machine and vacuum extractor, is designed to provide high quality, accessible and respectful maternal and child services in a safe environment.
She said the ultra modern hospital was constructed and fully equipped by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, in partnership with the Federal Government to reduce material and child mortality and enhance equitable access to essential health care services across the country.
The senior special assistant noted that the project came on the platform of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a vision grounded in social inclusion, quality and the strategic acceleration of development outcome nationwide, and commended the President for his support to the implementation of the SDGs in Nigeria.
She acknowledged Akwa Ibom government’s dedication to people-oriented governance and Governor Umo Eno’s efforts in creating an enabling environment for intervention, such as the establishment of the facility.
The commissioner of health, Dr Ekem John, said he felt satisfied with the commissioning of the hospital, adding that the development had made his job easy in his efforts to meet the ARISE Agenda’s determination to provide effective health care services for Akwa Ibom people.
John stated that the hospital was very significant on the fact that recently the Akwa Ibom government and the Federal Ministry of Health, flagged off the cooperation workshop for the material and neo-natal and maternity reduction rate at the Four Points By Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene.
He noted that the workshop was a testament of the commitment of government to ensure that no woman dies in the course of child birth and a call to action to place premium on women and children health.
The health commissioner thanked the federal government for the gesture and assured that the hospital would be put to optimum use.
The Focal Person on SDGs, Mrs Ime David, in her address said the hospital stood as a testament to what is possible when purpose meets partnership and expressed deep appreciation to the federal government for the Renewed Hope Agenda initiative.
David maintained that as the focal person on SDGs, the project was in line with goals strategic development priorities and reflected dedication to inclusive growth, human capital development and the advancement of social infrastructure.
The chairman, Akwa Ibom State Implementation Committee on SDGs and commissioner for Budget and Economic Development, Dr Linus Nkan, said the structure and facilities in the hospital were of standard and would serve the intended purposes.
The member representing Ibiono Ibom State Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr Moses Essien, said the facility was a significant milestone towards addressing the health challenges of Ibiono Ibom people and environs.
Essien pointed out that he was delighted that the Mother and Child Specialist Hospital had come in his time, stressing that since the creation of the local government 29 years ago, the area had not had any medical facility.
He appealed that to ensure effective and efficient service delivery, staff quarters should be built for doctors and nurses, while solar powered lightning facility should be provided.
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