From Isaac Ojo Nnewi
The Chairman, Medical Advisory Council (CMAC), of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Dr Ugboaja Joe, has called for more strategic partnership towards the movement of the hospital to the permanent site
He made the call during the visit of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions visited the hospital.
At the occasion whose main feature was the visit to the hospital’s permanent site, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Dr Pascal Obi, stated that there is need to prioritize some of the on-going projects in the permanent site of the hospital for faster completion.
He noted having too many projects going on at the same time at the site will delay the completion and eventual movement.
“Our job does not end at making sure that government approves money for hospitals, in includes making sure that money released are properly utilized by the institutions.
“We have seen many buildings springing up here at the same time none completed, and we have also seen the hospital operating from what looks like makeshift houses, there is need to immediately complete some projects at the permanent site.
“We, have, therefore told the CMD and his management that in this year 2021 budget he should make sure that construction works going on here are phased, let them come in phases so that when money is released, you concentrate on a few to be able to move into the permanent site.”
Speaking, the Chief Medical Director, CMD, NAUTH, Prof. Anthony Igwegbe, enumerated some of the problems of the institution to include poor funding, outsourced services which are not budgeted, low overhead for running the hospital, which some times are carried over in the budget and high cost funding electricity.
“We are running the hospital at a loss particularly this period of COVID-19, sometimes we think of not handling such cases but we cannot because is part of our job, what we lose economically from handling COVID-19 patients is more than what we gain,” Igwegbe noted
