Anambra state is one of the few states in Nigeria that
has been showing improvement in health indices. This is mainly due to the
efforts of the state government to work for achieving the health aspects of the
Millennium Development Goals targeting 2015.
Diseases like measles and cholera epidemic are now
less in Anambra state, thanks to proper use of resources to combat these. Also,
the state has not had a case of Polio in the last seven years as the state
ministry of health conducts immunization programs on a regular basis.
The government has reformed over 200 health agencies
owned by the government like Primary health care centres and general hospitals
spread in the rural areas. But there are still many tasks to be completed. A few of the hospitals revived by the government
have yet to function at optimum capacity due to lack of equipment.
For instance, the state government has set up the Teaching Hospital of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu
Ojukwu University, which is fully operating. It has been accredited for
training doctors and the other medical professionals by the Nigerian Dental and
Medical council.
This teaching hospital
has a screening centre for sickle cell disease for newborns. The state
government has also set up a dialysis centre in Onitsha General Hospital for
patients where costs are also subsidized by the state government.
Nnamdi Azikiwe
University Teaching Hospital is also a hospital set up by the federal
government that has churned out medical professionals in the last 15 years. Officials
of this hospital are seeking funds amounting to N2.5 billion to help develop
infrastructure at its new permanent site at Nnewi. The Nnewi community has
contributed a large tract of land for the permanent site of the hospital but
the shifting has been stalled due to lack of funds.
According to Prof. Ivara Esu, delay in moving hospital to Nnewi was causing hindrances
in proper delivery of health care services. He pointed out that the present
hospital was functioning at optimum capacity and could not accommodate more
patients. Hence, many patients requiring treatment were being denied the
facilities.
He said
that even the N2.5 billion may not be sufficient for the total project but it could
help develop priority projects. Knowing that the government cannot achieve
anything alone, state governor Peter Obi has tried to enter into partnership
with Churches in health and education.
Some of the hospitals which received such assistance
were Our Lady of
Lourdes Hospital, Iyi Enu Hospital, Ogidi , Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha Ihiala,
Diocesan Hospital, Amichi, St. Joseph’s
Hospital, Adazi-Nnukwu ; among others. Also, recently the governor pressed into
service 39 life ambulances to different state hospitals including missionary
owned ones. These ambulances are equipped with surgical facilities, and can
function as hospitals in times of emergency. The governor said that he admired
how funds were properly utilized by the missionary hospitals.
He
said state governments would spend another N200 million in all these hospitals
in the coming 3 months to help them improve infrastructure. Due to the benign
governorship by Obi, the state was procuring most of the funds in the health
sector form donor agencies.
If
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