The Federal Government on Thursday officially announced the upgrade of the Onitsha General Hospital to a Federal Medical Center.
The announcement was made by the Minister of State for Health, Hon. Joseph Ekumankama, when he represented the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire at the commissioning of the Onitsha facility.
Onitsha General Hospital, situates at the heart of the Anambra’s center of commerce.
Established sixty years ago by the colonial masters, the facility is the largest public health facility in the state and covers a total of 15.2 acres with one hundred and thirty five bed spaces.
Hon. Ekumankama who stated that the processes of hand over is ninety-nine percent completed, listed the benefits of the upgrading to include increase in staff salary, increased funding, provision of sophisticated equipment and more consultants, promotion of medical tourism, residency training, among others.
The minister noted that a state cannot have a teaching hospital and FMC but Anambra is the first state to have both, due to her population.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for assenting to the bill, Senator Stella Odua for sponsoring the bill and Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his doggedness in ensuring that the FMC is a reality, pointing out that the synergy showed that they have love for their people.
“With the upgrading of the hospital to a federal medical centre, the federal government would soon employ more Doctors and other staff.
“I want to commend Governor Soludo’s good governance exploits in the health sector. Henceforth, the federal government will post fresh Doctors and other medical personnel for internship and housemanship.
“The government expects the staff of the general hospital to brace up for the challenges ahead because to whom much is given is also expected,” he stated.
Addressing the people, Anambra state Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo represented by the Commissioner of Health, Dr Afam Obidike called for improved health service delivery among the staff.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari immensely for the honour done to the people of the South East States and Anambra in particular, describing the upgrade as a parting gift to Ndigbo.
In a welcome address, the acting Medical Director of the Federal Medical Center, Onitsha, Dr. Ebelechukwu Anugwu said the FMC became necessary to bridge the existing gap between primary, secondary and tertiary health care delivery in Anambra state.
Dr. Anugwu said the state government has put in a great deal of efforts to uplift the standard of the General Hospital with the State-of-the-art Kidney dialysis centre, Mammography centre, Oxygen plant under construction, standard operating theatre among others and appreciated all who contributed the success story of the hospital.
The CMD of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr Joe Ugbaja promised to assist the hospital to grow.
The Obi of Onitsha represented Chief Emengo expressed his profound gratitude to the government of President Buhari for the completion of the 2nd Niger Bridge project and now the upgrading of the Onitsha general hospital to a federal government health institution.
