By Emmanuel Uffot
For staff, management and host community of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital ( UUTH), Tuesday December 12, 2023 will remain memorable in their minds.
It was a day, the Accident and Emergency Unit of the UUTH renovated and equipped by the Nigeria LNG Limited under their Hospital Support Programme was commissioned amidst fanfare.
Setting the tone for the event, the Chief Medical Director ( CMD) of the hospital Professor Emem Bassey while welcoming guest to the occasion, went memory lane to recall the history of the hospital dating back to 1994 when it was established as Akwa Ibom State Specialist Hospital to 1997 when it metamorphosed to Federal Medical Centre and eventually Teaching Hospital.
He noted that until recently the infrastructural development in the hospital had not kept space with it’s transition to Teaching Hospital, thus putting pressure on the existing facilities.
He expressed the gratitude of the UUTH management to the NLNG for including the hospital in the second phase of its Hospital Support Programme which led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU) with the natural gas provider in February 20, 2023 for the renovation and equipping of the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital which is usually the first point of call for many cases of road traffic accidents, medical and surgical emergencies.
He commended NLNG for committing 500,000 US Dollars or ( N282,914,958.74) billion to the project in addition to the sum that have been provided by the hospital management for the same purpose specifically, the equipping of the laboratory unit and Radiology Suite among others.
Giving an insight into the project, Prof Bassey said the existing Accident and Emergency Unit building was totally renovated with the roof, ceiling, doors, electrical and mechanical fittings changed.
He said the floor finishing was done together with a new theatre recovery room, new patient toilets and entire plumbing system overhauled.
The renovation and equipping according to the CMD of UUTH also included oxygen pipping in critical care and theatre suites, recovery rooms and two oxygen manifolds were also installed. He equally told the gathering that the A & E been commissioned ” It 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, a 16 bed observation ward, two consulting rooms, nursing stations, medical records library, doctor’s lounge, call rooms, offices, billing and payment unit and plaster room.
The facility also has two well equipped theatre rooms and recovery room, a Radio- diagnostic unit with a mobile x- ray, ultrasound scan and a 2-channel echocardiogram as well as an equipped laboratory unit with a blood bank and pharmacy unit”.
The CMD also disclose his desire to install a C- Scan and fully digitalise operations soon.
On the challenge of power supply, he explained that the newly renovated and equipped A & E unit is equipped with a 15 KVA solar inverter for uninterrupted power supply and 100 KVA generator which has been acquired by the hospital as a backup for the facility.
He also listed the inability of the patients to access the emergency care to pay for services as one of the challenges facing the hospital, appealed to the state government for a subvention to be used to cater for emergency care of indigent patients.
Given the fact that the A & E unit is too small to cater for the huge inflow of accident victims and emergency cases, revealed that the hospital is embarking on the building of a one Storey apartment as an expansion of the Accident and Emergency Unit. It’s ground breaking to signal commencement of work of the project was one of the highlights of the day’s ceremony.
Professor Bassey also used the occasion to appreciate the Governor for accepting to commission the project an his assistance to the hospital since assumption of office and the minister of State for Petroleum ( Gas) Hon Ekperikpo Ekpo for attending the event, the contractors Messrs Royal Midtech, supplies of medical equipment, West Strata Engineering Limited for the civil works and the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee ( CMAC) Dr Emem Akpanudo for serving as an engine room to steer the project to completion.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of NLNG Dr Philip Mshebila gave an overview of the Nigeria LNG Hospital Support Programme ( HSP) arose out of interest to expand its contribution to the development of our nation’s health infrastructure. According to him, the objective of the National ( Corporate Social Responsibility ) is to boost healthcare delivery system in 12 Federal University Teaching Hospital across six geo- political zones in the country.
He explained that six University Teaching Hospitals have so far benefitted from the program in the first phase, and UUTH is the first beneficiary in the second phase.
As earlier stated by the hospital’s CMD, the NLNG boss stressed that 500,000 US Dollars was deployed for the project out of the six million US dollars set aside for the 12 benefitting Universities at 500,000 dollars each.
In his address at the occasion, Governor Eno who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government ( SSG) Prince Aniefiok Uwah expressed delight for the giant strides of Professor Bassey in infrastructural development since assumption of office four years ago, now in his second tenure. He said he has visited the hospital thrice since assuming office and pledged to offer assistance in the area of infrastructural development and equipment where necessary.
The group governor also commended NLNG for choosing University of Uyo Teaching as one of the beneficiaries of its Health Support Programme.
The SSG then proceeded to commission the building of behalf of the Governor before the ground breaking for the one Storey building expansion for the A & E department.
Goodwill messages also came from the Minister of State for Petroleum ( Gas) and CMAC Dr Akpanudo.
It is noteworthy that the CMD has over the years embarked on infrastructural development of the hospital as well as improving services and providing needed equipment to units of the hospital.
Some of the projects which were all uncompleted buildings he met on ground and has completed them include, Out- Patient Clinics Complex, General Patient department to take 1500 patients per time, Radiology Complex block, molecular laboratory, refurbished Administration block, renovated gate house and procurement of generators to improve power supply in the hospital.
Professor Emem Bassey, a surgeon Obstetrics and gynaecologist until his appointment as Chief Medical Director of UUTH was Commissioner for Health Akwa Ibom State.
