Anambra State Commissioner for Health Dr. Afam Obidike says Governor Chukwuma Soludo led administration is investming huge on health sector.
Dr. Obidike while speaking with newsmen after appearing before Anambra state house of assembly committee on public account on Thursday said the whole 21 local government areas will atlist have one general hospitals soon.
According to the Commissioner “We are renovating the 326 Primary Health Care in Anambra state and equiping them to standard. All of them has been accessed to find out what to do to make it functional. We are evaluating and are in the process of recruiting five hundred medical staff.
“The basic health care funds from the federal government has been relased just once and their are prototype on how the money should be spent.
“More than three hundred staffs where trained by the state government on basic medical life support system recently and this is a huge investment and is better than the buildings because it is skill aqusation which is in other to improve the services to be rendered to the people.
” Soon, all hospital will atlist have basic aminities. A technical working group has been established which comprises of proffessors and private partners.
We are trying our best not to loose staff to Federal Government by increasing the amount we are paying health workers.
” We did analysis and improve our staff strength because when we resumed office, we had 19 general hospitals without a single doctor. We did analysis and discovered that there was no single doctor.
“We employed 56 doctors, 10 consultants and 46 medical officers. The resources was not enough soo, we distributed them amongst the general hospital.
” We also increased the nurses, pharmacist and medical lab scientists which has improved the services with Enugu-Ukwu General Hospital as an example.
‘Anambra state government has started the upgrading of three hospitals in Umueri, Ekwulobia and Enugu Ukwu.
“Three weeks ago, we did surgery which was witnessed by the wife of the governor Mrs. Nonye Soludo.
“Its a gradual process because You check efficiency based on the improvement made and future target.
” Governor Chukwuma Soludo is trying to leverage technology because human resources will continue to be a problem in the health sector not only in Nigeria but in developing countries.
“The health care hospital in Akwuzu has been converted to a General Hospital with four medical doctors currently working there with our tele-medcine hub.
Tele-medicine is one of the technologies we are using to leverage the human resources for health because you can call a doctor from hub and be treated.
” In the next coming months, anywhere a patient is, they will be attended too. For now we are stating from Awkuzu and will expand soon in the sense that, each local government will have a hub with two doctors.
Reacting to the call by Anambra State House of Assembly who recently urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to establish a General Hospital in Nnewi North constituency, the commissioner said their is no need for a motion to be passed before government will intervene. Its all about priority.
” We have four local governments in Anambra state without a General Hospitals, and this administration is less than two years and have upgraded four hospital to standard.
” In Onitsha South, we are working in establishing a General Hospital at formal Urban Boys Secondary School. We have gone there and the drawing is in the process and the governor is getting ready.
“We are moving Urban Boys Secondary school to Ukwu Orimiri Primary School. Just last week, Governor Chukwuma Soludo awarded a contract to renovate the school.
“The General Hospital in Ayamelum Local Government got burnt seven years ago. We have gone their and the Governor has awarded the contract for the hospital to be renovated. I have gone there myself.
” Anambra West Local Government dont have a General Hospital. Two days ago, we visited Oruma Etiti because it is located in the center. We have gone there to map and we will establish a general hospital.
” In Okpoko, we are awarding a General Hospital there, probably in the next exco. But Nnewi has a Techining Hospital and it will be fair if we focus on areas without any one”. The commissioner concluded.
