It was a day of joy when Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State handed over the first ever hospital project site and documents for the construction of the Primary Health Centre, hospital type 3 at the Enugu- Omasi, Uwani community of Umunba Ndiagu community of Ezeagu local government area of the State.
Handing over the project site and documents which comprised of the award letter, bill of quantity, site plan and other documents to the contractor, ,Dozek Engineering Consult Limited, at the project site at Umumba Ndiagu, on Monday on behalf of Ugwuanyi, the Commissioner for Works, Greg Nnaji, who was represented by an official of the ministry, Anyaora Okereke, said that the event was a site handover for Type 3 Primary Health Centre hospital.
He said that there was no hospital in the community and the people of the community go to Anambra for medical attention.
He continued: “Some people do not understand what we meant about hospital type 3. This project is different”
He explained that the hospital will have doctors’ quarters, nurses’ quarters, with the idea that all the medical personnel working in the hospital after it’s completion will live in Umumba Ndiagu. According to him, the proposed hospital will have a laboratory, Theater for operation, borehole, generating house, car park, wards and other facilities. “This implies that there will be very good medical facilities. So, it won’t be necessary to leave here and go to any place, “he said
Ugwuanyi disclosed that work was supposed to start on Monday and stop on 30th September, 2020.
“We did not come for ceremonies. We have lost one day. Work is supposed to start today”
The governor thanked the people of the two communities for donating their lands.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Ezeagu local government area, Chukwudi Ani, thanked Ugwuanyi, the Deputy Governor, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo and the people of Umumba Ndiagu for their kind donation of the lands.
“You can see that the people of Umumba are happy. Before now, they used to go to Ebenebe, Anambra State for medical attention because it is closer to them, but now, after the completion of the hospital, they will be coming to Umumba. It is a complete hospital. Aguobu, Umumba, Obinofia, the Ebenebe, Awka people will also be coming here”.
On whether compensation was paid for the lands donated, the Chairman said that it was a free donation in appreciation of Ugwuanyi’s good governance to the community.
Ani, who said that he believes in equity in distribution, appealed to the communities which had not been reached to exercise patience for they will be remembered.
Speaking after receiving the project documents, the contractor, Desmond Chukwuka. C. assured that the project will be completed in two months and two weeks time, before the specified period of three months. He disclosed that the size of the plot is 4,200 square meters
Earlier, the traditional ruler of Umumba Ndiagu, Igwe Hycient Ozioko, Mba 11 of Umumba Ndiagu, thanked God Almighty for keeping him alive to see a hospital in Umumba Ndiagu.
He also thanked Ugwuanyi and his deputy for their good governance in the state and for approving that the hospital be sited at Umumba Ndiagu, saying that for over 70 years, they had not seen a hospital in their place.
He thanked God for keeping them alive to see it happen.
The traditional ruler also thanked the local government chairman, Chukwudi Ani, for his good works in the area, for paying the workers minimum wage, seeing to the welfare of the traditional rulers, infrastructural development, among others.
He announced that he will confer chieftaincy titles on Ugwuanyi, his deputy and the contractor if the hospital is completed at the specified time. The royal father also promised adequate security of materials and workers at the site.
There was jubilation from the people of the community who rolled out, beat drums and danced to the tune at the event.
Meanwhile, worried about the rising spread of COVID-19 infection in the state, Ugwuanyi has approved the immediate constitution of a 12-man Ad Hoc Expert Medical Advisory Committee on urgent and effective measures for de-escalation of the pandemic in the state, as recommended by the Enugu State Chapter of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).
This was contained in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, on Monday.
According to the statement, ” The committee will engage with leaders of various Religious Groups, Market Associations Professional Associations, Labour Unions, National Union of Road Transport Workers Enugu State Chapter, Association of Tricycle Riders Transport Union, Enugu State, Civil Society Groups, Organized Private Sector and all other relevant Stakeholders and recommend urgent and effective measures for de-escalation of transmission of Coronavirus infection in Enugu State, with due regard to all extant Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Protocols for containment of the spread of the Coronavirus infection (COVID-19)”.
The committee will also “take any other reasonable steps that may be incidental to the attainment of the objective above”
Chairman of the committee is a Consultant Cardiologist and Professor of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Prof. Emmanuel Ejim.
Other Members are:
2. Rev. Can. Dr. Ifeanyi Onah – Chief Consultant Plastic
Surgeon and Head,
Infectious Disease Unit,
National Orthopedic Hospital,
Enugu
3. Dr. Nneka Unaogu – Consultant Psychiatrist/Head,
Research and Training
Federal Neuropsychiatric
Hospital, Enugu
4. Dr. Nnamdi Nwosu – Consultant Respiratory
Physician, UNTH, Enugu
5. Dr. Joseph Enebe – Consultant Obstetrician and
Gynecologist, Enugu State
University Teaching Hospital,
Parklane, Enugu
6. Dr. Obinna Anikwe – Consultant Urologist, University
of Nigeria Teaching Hospital
and Secretary, Enugu State Guild of Medical Directors
7. Dr. Obinna Nduagubam – Consultant Pediatrician, Enugu
State University Teaching
Hospital, Parklane, Enugu
8. Dr. Onyinye Chime – Consultant Public Health
Physician, Enugu State
University Teaching Hospital,
Parklane, Enugu
9. Dr. Aneke Emmanuel – Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, University of
Nigeria Teaching Hospital and
Secretary, Nigerian Medical
Association, Enugu State
Chapter.
10. Dr. Chinemerem Dan
Onwuliri – Public Health Physician,
Department of Community
Medicine, University of Nigeria
Teaching Hospital, Enugu
11. Dr. Okafor Sunday – Registrar, Public Health Physician
Department of Community
Medicine, University of Nigeria
Teaching Hospital, Enugu/Ass. Secretary, Nigerian
Medical Association, Enugu
State Chapter
12. Dr. Emeka Onoh – Public Health Physician,
Department of Community
Medicine, University of Nigeria
Teaching Hospital, Enugu
The committee has two weeks to submit its report.
