5YEARS ON THE SADDLE; UDOM EMMANUEL’S SIGNATURES

Part3

By Emmanuel Godwin

According to the saying “Health is wealth”, Mr Udom Emmanuel upon assumption of office in May 29, 2015 as Governor of Akwa Ibom State, paid attention to the health sector of Akwa Ibom State, having understood the fact that every fast growing society like ours requires a corresponding solid healthcare delivery sector.

Affected by the unwavering passion of Governor Emmanuel in the health sector of the state are both primary and secondary healthcare facilities in the state.

With the current pandemic posing a major threat to the world, His Excellency the Governor of Akwa Ibom state Mr. Udom Emmannuel has once again risen to the occasion by the construction of a state of the arts 300 bed capacity isolation center at Ituk Mbang which is billed to be commissioned soonest

And still on the face of fighting the Novel COVID – 19 pandemic, Governor Emmanuel led administration acquired 19 ventilators with tremendous efficiency in contact tracing and adequate medical care for confirmed cases.

However, the underlisted are some of the major highlights of Mr Emmanuel’s signature in the healthcare sector.

These are Highlights of Reconstructed & Hospitals Equipped before COVID-19:
• General Hospital, Etinan
• General Hospital, Ituk Mbang, Uruan
• General Hospital, Ikono
• General Hospital, Ikot Okoro, Oruk Anam
• General Hospital, Iquita, Oron
• General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene (ongoing)
• General Hospital, Ikot Abasi (ongoing)
• Immanuel Hospital, Eket, (ongoing)
• General Hospital, Awa (ongoing)
• Leprosy Hospital, Ekpene Obom, Etinan (ongoing)
• Medical Centre, Okon, Eket (ongoing)
• Upgrade of Ibom Specialist Hospital
• Construction of Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), Ikot Ekpene and furnishing of Call Duty Doctors’ flats.

Received 36 Containers of various sophisticated medical equipments procured from USA for the reconstructed hospitals in the state and awaiting delivery of 64 more.
• Trained and Refreshed 20 Biomedical Engineers (for maintenance of hospital equipment in the state)
• Reconstruction of the Oxygen Plant, Ikot Ekpene, for Supply of Oxygen to other Hospitals in the State.
• Continuous Professional Development of Doctors, as requirement by Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria-MDCN

• Payment of Consolidated Medical Salaries owed since 2014

• Doctors – CONMESS

• Nurses – CONHESS

Others include;

Conducted 21-day free eye care missions outreach (Glasses & Surgery) in partnership with MTN:
• 15,350 people treated
• 1,150 eye surgeries carried out
• 200 pairs of free glasses given out
• Provision of training and residential quarters for 98 House Officers in the state hospitals and the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), every year since 2015
• Accreditation for five Schools of Nursing and Midwifery:
• Recorded 99.1% contact tracing on imminent patient of COVID 19 as acknowledged by Nigerian Center for Disease Control ( NCDC ).
• Conducted e-Collection Training:
• SAVE One Million Lives (for Women & Children), a Federal Government joint initiative.
• Training and Certification of 100 Doctors and Nurses in Basic Lives Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), with medical emergency training experts from the US.
• Procured AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) and ECG Machines for Use in Emergency Response, to reverse Cardiac Arrests. Now in all our ambulances.
• Conducted inauguration and training of “Health and Research and Ethics Committee” members.
• Treatment of 4,038 moderately malnourished and severely mal-nourished children in various parts of the state.
• Awareness and sensitization campaign for the Control of Tuberculosis and Leprosy (TLB) and treatment.
• Refurbishing and Maintenance of House Officers Residential Quarters at Obio Offot.
• Renewal of Contract for Consultant Specialist Doctors for Training of House Officers in the State. (Ongoing)
• Intervention in, and restoration of, the Services and facilities in Ibom Specialist Hospital.
• All the Reconstructed and Refurbished hospitals have been digitized.
• Patients data in one hospital are now accessible in other refurbished or reconstructed hospitals.
• Makes patients’ referrals online possible, quick and easy
• Durability of patients records assured.
Saving One Million lives Performance for Results (SOML P for R): The State has been working with support from the Federal Ministry of Health on implementing programme on maternal new-born and child health on all the pillars of: Malaria,nutrition, immunization, HIV/AIDS, essential drugs, logistics management, and infrastructural development in strengthening

Healthcare Intervention projects..

1. Mini water scheme at Primary Health Centre, Ediene Atai, Ikono
2. Mini water scheme at Primary Health Centre, Ikot Idem Udo, Onna
3. Mini water scheme at Primary Health Centre, IdungIniang, Eket
4. Construction of Perimeter Fence at Primary Health Centre, EdieneAtai, Ikono
5. Construction of Perimeter Fence at Primary Health Centre, Ndon Ebom, Uruan
6. Renovation of Maternity Block at Primary Health Centre, Ediene Atai, Ikono
7. Renovation of Maternity Block at Primary Health Centre, Ndom Ebom, Uruan
8. Renovation of Staff Quarters at Primary Health Centre, Ibong Otoro, Abak.

In conclusion, Governor Udom Emmanuel’s signature in the health sector within the period under review is very significant which is a testament of his unwavering passion for the lives of Akwa Ibomites.

It is safe to say that with his sterling performance in the health sector, the next three years, in line with his Completion Agenda, will unfold more strides in a sector he has devoted time and resources much to wide acclaim.

PUBLISHED BY TEAM PROJECT UPDATE.