Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah ,Monday, flagged- off the construction of a 300 bed Enugu International Hospital to house nuclear research center, provide health services of international standard ,make Enugu state a hub for medical tourism and grow the economy of the state.
Speaking at the flag-off held at the premises of the hospital along Rangers Avenue, Enugu, the state Governor, Dr. Mbah said the project was in line with his campaign promises to the people of the state . He disclosed that when completed, the hospital “will offer advanced and specialized healthcare services”.
Pix: Gov Mbah flagging -off the construction of the Enugu Int’l hospital
His words,” What we are witnessing here is what will bring us closer to that destination to make Enugu State a hub for medical tourism. It will offer advanced and specialized healthcare services. It was carefully designed to address the challenges we have at the tertiary level of our healthcare.
Pix: Gov Mbah
“We already know the interventions we made in the primary health sector with the construction of 260-type 2 primary healthcare centres. We are also attending to 22 cottage and General hospitals. We are bringing our state to that prime destination for tourism and investment.
He said it was targeting a substantial share of the overseas medical tourism market which is above $1 billion annually.
” This is a sector you will have over $1 billion turn- over yearly when completed. People will stop going abroad for medical services. It will be equipped with the state-of -arts facilities. It is also going to be a training and research hub to train students with the best facilities in the world,” he stated
He said Enugu state is open for investment, business and partnership, disclosing that top-notch health professionals living in diaspora were already engaging the state government on areas of collaboration in the health sector.
“The Enugu International Hospital is going to be equipped with the state-of-the art facilities and we intend to attract top-notch professionals. We intend to work with our sons and daughters overseas who are interested in coming to express their professionalism on our soil.
*So, we’ll be taking this opportunity to remind them to come back and know that this place is open for them with the best state-of-the-art facilities they can get anywhere in the world,” he said..
Governor Mbah, who said his administration has zero tolerance for delay of projects, announced that they fixed 13 months as timeline for the completion of the project .
” We have fixed a timeline for this project . We hope to come here in 13 months to commission this project . Everything will be delivered by the contractor, the power, furniture,. We will just turn the key and move in,” Governor Mbah said.
Pix: Commissioner for Health, Assoc. Prof Ikechukwu Obi
In his speech, the state Commissioner for Health, Assoc.. Prof Ikechukwu Obi commended Governor Mbah over the ongoing revolution in the healthcare sector. He said 260 type-2 and 9 type-3 primary healthcare hospitals were undergoing intervention at the primary health level, 22 secondary healthcare facilities receiving cutting-edge attention, with Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) and the University of Medical and Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital (SUMASTH) as tertiary hospitals, in addition to the international hospital in the state.
He said the hospital will offer broad range of hospital services which include General medicine, Emergency department, Surgical services, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oncology, Cardiology, Intensive Care Unit, Pediatrics Neurology, , Radiology and Imaging. Others are laboratory services, Pharmacy, , Nutritional services, Axillary services, Physical services, Medical rehabilitation, Disease Contro,l Biomedical Engineering and Medical Gas production, health information services, DNA Learning Center among others.
The Commissioner explained that technology will assist disease control. He noted that ,”the Governor has come to ensure that Enugu State is positioned as a desired hub for health services “.
Pix: Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Hon. Gerald Otiji
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Hon. Gerald Otiji spoke on the Engineering aspect of the project. He said the Center for disease control will be built in a way that ” any disease in any aspect is contained there”. In it’s section.
On a Nuclear research center, Otiji said the state will start exporting Nuclear medical Doctors and Scientists after their graduation . ” This is a unique hospital coming up. No Government has ever built this. It is only the dream of private sector but Enugu state has made it possible”., he said.
In his brief remarks , the Special Adviser to the Governor on Project Development Implementation (PDI) , Uche Nwatu said the world-class hospital will put the state on the regional and global healthcare map with the capacity to set new benchmarks in medical services, education and research.
Pix: Contractor, Anthony Nader
The Contractor and Chief Executive officer of Tanit Medical Engineering, Anthony Nader, assured that the company would deliver the project in record time.
Speaking on the services they will offer he said, “What makes the hospital different from others is the quality and the uniqueness of the equipment. We are going to have many equipment that have never been seen in any of the hospitals around. The services that will be offered will be very unique to the extent that none of the hospitals in West Africa has it “
Pix: SPA, PDI, Uche Nwatu(L) Chairman ,Enugu North L.G.A, Dr. Ibenaku Onoh.
Others who spoke at the event were the the Chairman , Enugu North Local Government Area ,Dr. Ibenaku Onoh, representative of. Ogui Community, Hon. Emeka Nnamani.
Pix: Former Deputy Governor,Enugu state, Okechukwu Itanyi
Others are Chairman , Enugu State Medical and Dental Practitioners Association, Dr. Sunday Okafor , Former Deputy Governor of Enugu state, Ikechukwu Itanyi and Woman leader, Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) Enugu state chapter, Mrs Peace Patricks.
Pix: Dr Sunday Okafor(L)and Mrs Peace Patricks
They commended Governor Mbah for his good works in the state,, saying , the hospital would meet the healthcare needs of the people .
Author: Maureen Ikpeama