About 17 years after it relocated from its old temporary site in Coal Camp Enugu urban, to the permanent site in Ituku Ozalla community, also in Enugu State, the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) is about to return some services to the old site.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Prof. Obinna Onodugo, said that the need to effectively utilise her medical expertise and achieve efficient service delivery informed the decision to relocate some services back to the old site.
Onodugo explained to the members of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, who were on oversight function to the hospital, that some emergency services would move to the rehabilitated old site to enable the hospital serve the people better.
He stated that millions of naira had been spent in renovating the structures in the old site and that the movement would soon commence.
The hospital moved to the permanent site on January, 2007.
Explaining that the hospital was losing revenue and it’s catchment due to the distance and location of the permanent site, Onodugo stated that the idea would help the hospital more efficiently.
“We have done a lot of work there and priming it for emergency services.
“The idea is to create a place where people in town can easily access. We have ten schools flourishing there.
“The moment we realise this, we will be able to compete with other hospitals in town.
“Many people avoid this place because of the location. It is not easy to access at all,” he said.
Onodugo who added that services in the hospital had been fully automated, stressed that they had overcome their perennial water challenges by creation of a dam and water works.
He, however, regretted the absence of CT scan and MRI machines in the hospital, saying it was hindering treatment of specialized cases in the hospital.
He said that as a way to reduce security challenges being faced at the hospital, over 45 CCTV has been installed within and outside the hospital, as well as deforestation of the surrounding environment to flush out hoodlums who regularly attack patients and staff.
He stressed that part of the security challenges was the kidnap of the workers by the hoodlums, stressing however, that with the cameras and intervention of the Enugu State government, there was had been security presence at the hospital.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Amos Magaji, had frowned at the work attitude of most Federal Government owned health institutions, saying it was encouraging movement of Nigerians to other parts of the country in search of better healthcare.
He said that the Federal Government had tried to find and provide the best of medical facilities in the hospitals, lamenting however, that while hospitals owned and run by individuals with less superior equipment and expertise were flourishing, that of the government with superior facilities and manpower, were inefficient.
Magaji, regretted that despite the billions of naira hospitals receive across the country, they hardly generate half of the money as revenue at the end of the year, describing such as unacceptable.
He called for improvement in service delivery, stressing that the government was ready and prepared to do more for the healthcare sector.
