Hope of Akwa Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo becoming fully operational is blooming as the state government has concluded plans to recruit new management experts and consultants to manage the health institution.
The hospital, built at the cost of about N41 billion and inaugurated just three years ago by the previous administration was shut down in September last year after the private managers, Cardiocare Medical Services Ltd, terminated their contract with the state government and withdrew from the facility.
The company was said to have had a disagreement with the state government over the funding of the hospital.
Governor Udom Emmanuel stated this Tuesday when he paid a surprise visit to see the newly equipped dialysis unit and other facilities in the hospital, Uyo, the state Capital.
According to him, the team expected to arrive in the state from the United States of America, on Monday, March 19, has undergone special training and vested with skills on administration of Quaternary health-care delivery system.
He emphasied that it was appropriate to engage hospital administrators to separate their duties from medical consultants.
“We are now trying to engage specialists who understand hospital administration, record system and hospital ICT system; and we also have consultants who would do their own area of specialisation.
“I am receiving these people from the USA. They have the experience, technology and skills. So, we need to bring them here and make sure this hospital is fully functional. And I want to ensure that everything is on ground and we are back to full strength,” the governor said.
Emmanuel, who maintained that he was passionate about always doing the right thing, irrespective of propaganda, remarked that he was impressed to notice that the newly equipped and activated dialysis unit in the hospital was fully functional, adding, “I could even see a patient being treated and all the machines are working well”.
While noting the expansion need of the unit, the Governor assured that before the end of next quarter, provision would be made to accommodate additional four new machines to complement the five that were recently installed, expressing his desire to facilitate commencement of Oncology Unit in the hospital.
“I am much more particular that the dialysis unit is functioning well, we have the consultants, who are running the unit, the rest of the departments are what I’m actually looking at and the oncology unit is something that I really crave to start here because I know how much I spend every month on those facilities outside the country,” Emmanuel noted.
Earlier, Dr. Iniobong Etukudoh, the Acting Medical Director of the hospital had expressed appreciation to the governor for initiating, equipping and commencing the dialysis unit, saying that the facility was not in existence in the hospital before now.
The commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Udoh, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Uwemedimo Nwoko and the House of Assembly member from Onna, Mr Nse Essien, were among those in the Governor’s entourage.
