The Akwa Ibom Government has reiterated its readiness to partner Indian medical expatriates in the running of the ongoing 20th Anniversary Hospital in the state.
Governor Godswill Akpabio, who stated this on Thursday when Dr. Kofo Oganyankin and John Viyaru, leading the Indian medical team, paid him a courtesy visit at Governor’s Office, Uyo and presented him with a proposal of partnership in the running of the 20th Anniversary Hospital, remarked: “We want a strong partnership that can create a niche in the health sector.”
Akpabio explained: “We don’t want to stop capital flight, but we want to minimize the number of people that die while trying to travel to Europe and India for medical check-up and to minimize the turn-out of Nigerians that leave the country.
“We would be glad to work with you where you will offer excellent services and you would be amazed by the number of patients that will patronize the hospital because they would be drawn to good services, best care and first-class treatment in a first-class hospital.
“We would look into the proposal because we are too ambitious and I hope the size of the hospital as you went on tour of the hospital did not overwhelm your operations.
“So, we intend to build a living quarters.
“Already, we have about 500 housing units, which have been roofed, and we would create a section of the estate and give out 100 or 150 houses for the hospital personnel to be completed for occupancy before January next year.
“I also believe that a lot of private people would build hostel-like hotels opposite the hospital where patients who have a long stay can actually rent, occupy and stay close to the hospital.
“So, no matter how gigantic a hospital is, it is not the size that matters but it is about the care.
“We are all from different professional callings.
“So if we come together for a strong partnership, working with our Nigerian partners and government, we would all reach a kind of consensus to bring the health sector to bear for a lot of Nigerians that are suffering from different ailments.”
Akpabio disclosed that the state government wants to bring certain areas of medicine to the hospital, so that it would be easy for people to get the best areas of medical attention from the hospital, pointing out that the medical team would be introduced to different medical specialities.
Hinting that the hospital would not end up in partial services but will develop other medical areas, Akpabio assured the medical team of government’s commitment to the provision of the necessary security for them to work in a conducive environment.
Oganyankin and Viyaru said they were impressed with the infrastructure in the state, especially the ongoing building of the 20th Anniversary Hospital, disclosing that their visit to the state was to partner the state government in the running of the hospital when it is completed.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Emem Abasi Bassey, hinted that the Indian expatriates were impressed with the flair design of the hospital during their inspection tour to the building of the hospital.
Bassey said the hospital, which is a world-class, would conserve foreign exchange in the training of medical doctors.
He said the hospital is one of the legacies of Governor Akpabio’s administration.
Trending
- No baby boy was swapped at Central hospital Warri, Nurse disproves claims
- MAN presents roadmap on plastic waste management to Environment Minister
- Ekiti issues 14 days ultimatum for hotel registration with Tourism Bureau
- British Council rewards Nigeria’s best brains
- Robbers attack customer in bank premises, cart away huge cash
- Hijrah 1446: Governor Adeleke declares Monday July 8th public holiday in Osun
- Akpabio, Abbas, Wike, 37 others to receive NEAPS 2024 Awards
- At meeting with Marwa, monarch seeks help to dislodge drug dealers in his kingdom