The Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, this weekend stated that the state was open for collaboration in healthcare to complement the state government’s efforts to revamp all levels of healthcare.
Mbah disclosed this during the launch of free hospital equipment and medical supplies to Enugu State Teaching Hospital by the Shola Agboola Goodwill Ambassador (SAGA) Foundation in Enugu.
The items included medical beds, consumables, theatre tables, mattresses, assorted medical items used in hospitals, machines, tools, equipment, scanners and ultrasound machines.
Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, stated that his administration had made a huge investment “in rebuilding, revamping and total overhaul of the state’s healthcare system.”
According to him, “The state government is constructing 260 Type-2 primary healthcare centres across the 260 political wards, and some of them are completed, while secondary healthcare (general and cottage hospitals) are given a facelift.
“The state’s two teaching hospitals’ facilities have been upgraded and expanded, while our 300-bed Quaternary International Hospital, meant to attract international medical tourism, is near completion.
“The government has set out plans to bring in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment for the game-changing first-grade healthcare facilities; however, there is room for collaboration and more support for the facilities.”
The governor, therefore, called on foundations, corporate organisations and philanthropists to collaborate with the state government to ensure quality healthcare in the state.
According to him, “The people and government of Enugu State are appreciative of SAGA Foundation for the medical equipment donated to the state worth over ₦430 million. We call for more, seeing the vast number of our facilities.”
The founder of SAGA Foundation, Dr Shola Agboola, said that he started the foundation to uplift health in Nigeria and Africa after losing his father to tetanus in an ill-equipped health facility at the age of 13.
Agboola explained that the foundation had donated health equipment to over 10 states in Nigeria, as well as three other countries in Africa, within its 10-year existence.
Quoting him, “I must commend the state government for a well-planned and well-invested healthcare system, which is a testament to the premium and quality of healthcare the government envisioned for its people.”
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, appreciated Gov. Mbah for using his international connections to attract medical equipment and supplies from SAGA Foundation, Canada.
Ugwu said that the medical equipment and supplies were coming at a critical time, as the government had already embarked on retooling and revamping all levels of healthcare to make the state a healthcare destination.
He said, “We are going to deploy this medical equipment and these supplies to areas of greatest need in general and teaching hospitals, and we are urging everyone to put them to judicious and protective use.
“The current retooling and revamping of all levels of healthcare facilities have opened up space, and we call for more collaboration and support in medical equipment and supplies to fill them up.”
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