Chief Medical Director, Rivers State Hospital Board, Dr Okagua Kenneth, team and Andoni LGA Chairman, Erastus Awortu during inspection in Ngo
From Douglas Blessing, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Hospital Management Board has declared readiness to revamp healthcare delivery services across the rural communities, to enhance living standards of the people.
The Chief Medical Director of the board, Dr. Okagua Kenneth, gave the assurance while inspecting the Ngo General Hospital at the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area.
Dr. Kenneth disclosed that the facility had remained shot down following security challenges in the area during the past local government administration.
He said: “This is one of our facilities that renders secondary healthcare to this part of the state, unfortunately, we had some security challenges which made us to downsize our services over a year ago.
“There was a serious security breach to the extent that our staff felt abandoned, armed men invaded the hospital premises demanding to see the doctor for reasons unknown to the hospital management board.
“So for the safety of our staff, we decided to shot down operations pending when peace returns today, the area is more peaceful and we look forward to resuming by next month”.
Commending the the new Council Chairman, Mr Erastus Awortu, his commitment to peace and security in the area, the Medical Director said the Council’s intervention would help management start -off with ease.
“We commend the council Chairman, Mr Erastus Awortu on efforts towards reopening the hospital and that is why we have come for a physical inspection to acertain the present state of structure and equipments.
“I’m here with the Director of medical services to see how we can make the hospital functional again, hopefully, by January next year, we shall resume skeletal Services and gradually we will scale up depending on available resources.
“Before the security challenge, the hospital had been in full operations, carrying out surgeries and treating patients and I believe the equipments are intact,” Kenneth expressed.
He promised to service existing equipments, adding that “the board may replace a few of them if the need arises”.
Speaking also, the council Chairman, Awortu noted that reopening the hospital was one of his major electioneering promises and assured on readiness to partner with the board especially in the area of security to enhance functionality of the facility.
He promised to mend the broken fence of the facility, repair the lighting /water systems and ensure that the hospital environment is safe and conducive to patients and the state.
