By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The Federal Government has unveiled a Twin Operating Theatre donated by the Nigeria LNG Limited to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
This was according to a post on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare official X handle, @Fmohnigeria on Thursday, April 4, 2024.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, in her remarks called on Hospital Chief Medical Directors to imbibe a good maintenance culture for the facilities and equipment under their care. Adding that this would enhance service delivery and encourage interventions from government, private, and development partners.
Daju opined that hospitals can only maximise efficiency and ensure continuity if their facilities and equipment remain in good condition. Adding that support and interventions would come faster when the impact of existing projects is far-reaching and sustained.
She said that the benefits of private and corporate support in community investment programs cannot be quantified. Saying that while the government is not relenting on its efforts it cannot do it alone.
Consequently, she commended the NLNG for setting up an initiative that provides state-of-the-art infrastructures such as the twin operating theatre in JUTH in different Federal Healthcare facilities across the six geopolitical zones. She, therefore urged the private sector to participate in Corporate Social responsibility, assuring them of the government’s support for impactful programs and projects.
She further stated that the Ministry would continue to work with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders and development partners to fulfill its goal of providing accessible, qualitative, and affordable healthcare services for all Nigerians.
The twin theatre complex which was commissioned by the Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang features automated doors for seamless integration with the hospital’s Accident and Emergency unit. It includes two operating suites, scrub rooms, preparation areas, a recovery room, and other essential facilities, all equipped with modern medical equipment and safety systems.
Also speaking at the commissioning Mr. Andy Ode, General Manager, External Relations at NLNG, expressed gratitude to the FMm for all its support and willingness to change the face of the health sector which has made the implementation of the HSP seamless.
He explained that the Hospital Support Program (HSP) was a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative the NLNG commenced in 2021 to lend support to hospitals through the construction and provision of equipment, as a way of assisting in addressing the lapses in healthcare services revealed by the COVID pandemic.
He noted that the programme’s fund is valued at $6M and so far interventions have been successful in 9 hospitals across the country.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief Medical Director JUTH, Dr. Pokop Bupwatda while thanking the management and board of NLNG for the construction and equipping of the world-class twin operating theatre, also appreciated the ministry for always creating an enabling environment that paved the way for such strategic development in the health care sector.
Expressing that the facility would further improve the quality of service rendered by the hospital and went on to appeal to the ministry for more intervention and assistance specifically for CT scans and MRI machines.
