By Mandy Park
Abia State Governor Alex Otti’s is passionate about upgrading various health facilities across Abia State to make them more responsive to the health challenges of the people.
Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Care Service Delivery, gave this hint on Thursday when she led a team on an assessment tour of General Hospitals in the state, including the Umunnato General Hospital, Bende LGA; General Hospital Abariba, Ohafia LGA and Isuikwuato General Hodpital.
Dr Okoronkwo, decried the deplorable state of the hospitals, stressing that the assessment tour would take the team round the 12 General Hospitals in the State for proper attention.
Dr. Okoronkwo described as unimaginable and shocking, a situation where only a medical doctor and three nurses were posted to attend to patients in a general hospital, disclosing that her team would submit report of her findings to the Governor for the next line of action.
She used the opportunity to charge staff of the hospitals to be alive to their duties as the era of redundancy was over.
In their speeches while conducting the Team round the health facilities, Dr Chidi Uwanna, Medical Doctor incharge of Umunnato General Hospital, Dr. Genevieve Maduako, of Abariba General Hospital, and Dr. Okocha Sunday, their Isuikwuato counterpart, named poor security, lack of electricity supply, dilapidated structures, and obselete equipment as some of the challenges hindering patients from patronising the hospitals.
They expressed the hope that the visit of the team would turn the fortunes of the hospitals for the better.
Governor Otti had in his inaugural speech at the Umuahia Township Stadium, promised to turn around the health sector of the state to provide quality health care services to the citizenry.
Dr. Charity Egwuekwe, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Hospital Management Board, and Mrs. Rosemary Ajah, Director Medical Services, Ministry of Health, joined Dr. Okoronkwo on the tour.
