COOUTH Seeks Adazi-Ani Community Support to Bridge Healthcare Projects, Funding Gap
By Chinecherem Ofoma | IchieTimes
In keeping with her avowed drive to explore partnerships with communities and public-spirited individuals to advance healthcare at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku-Awka, the Chief Medical Director of the facility, Dr Maureen Umeakuewulu, has appealed to the Adazi-Ani community to support the hospital’s development projects and welfare initiatives.
Umeakuewulu made the appeal on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the traditional of Adazi-Ani, Igwe Dr Benson Chinedu Mmadubuko, in the company of members of the hospital’s management team.
During the visit, the CMD briefed the monarch on the numerous programmes of the hospital, the interventions of the state government and the areas requiring community intervention.
She identified the construction of a paediatric complex, dental complex, provision of a staff bus and establishment of a trust fund for indigent patients as some of the hospital’s pressing needs.
The CMD said the proposed trust fund would assist patients who could not afford their medical bills after receiving treatment, while community support would complement government efforts in improving healthcare delivery.
According to her, “It is becoming increasingly difficult for the government to solely undertake issues around healthcare, hence the innovation of exploring collaboration with the private sector, communities and hi-networth citizens to bring succour to indigent people seeking medicare at the COOUTH.”
She also disclosed that the state government had released medical equipment worth more than N500 million for the hospital, adding that the facility had benefitted immensely from several interventions since her appointment by Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
Umeakuewulu said the governor had also completed a trauma centre at the hospital, which she described as the first of its kind and the only one in Southern Nigeria.
She further listed improved remuneration for doctors, approval of the Medical Residency Training Fund and the hospital’s management of its oxygen plant among the government’s interventions.
The CMD explained that the visit was also to formally felicitate the monarch on his ascension to the traditional stool of Adazi-Ani Kingdom, to inform the community of the governor’s interventions, and to seek its partnership in addressing the hospital’s outstanding needs.
In his response, Igwe Madubuko expressed appreciation to Governor Soludo for appointing an indigene of the community to head the University Teaching Hospital, describing the appointment as an opportunity for Adazi-Ani to contribute to healthcare development.
The monarch assured that he would study the requests presented by the hospital management and consult the town union president and other stakeholders to determine areas where the community could intervene.
He also disclosed plans by the community’s leadership to pay an appreciation visit to the governor in recognition of the appointment.
Earlier, Dr Chima Ibeneme called for the establishment of a landmark at the teaching hospital in recognition of Adazi-Ani’s contribution, saying it would serve as a lasting legacy for future generations.
