COVID-19 intervention: UUTH receives N859m from FG

Ini Billie, Uyo

Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Prof Ememabasi Bassey, on Monday, said the facility received N859 million from the Federal Government to execute key COVID-19 intervention projects and programmes.

Bassey, who said this in an interview in Uyo, acknowledged that COV1D-19 forced the government to invest in health care, adding that the pandemic has made a positive impact on the nation’s healthcare system.

According to CMD, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has released more money and invested in medical infrastructure than any other regime in recent decades.

He noted that the lockdown prevented highly placed Nigerians from embarking on medical tourism, thereby creating the need for inward appraisal and development of the healthcare system.

Bassey said that critical surgeries which were hitherto conducted outside the country were during the lockdown successfully done within, adding that Nigeria is blessed with talented medical experts.

He said: “The present Federal Government has invested in medical infrastructure than any other in the last couple of decades. For instance, during the pandemic last year, the Federal Government released funds to the management of the hospital to open a modular testing laboratory and other projects that could help in combating the virus.”

The CMD revealed that the hospital has in place of the 10 bedded intensive care unit provided for, achieved 16 bedded ICU, fully equipped with laboratory, mobile X-ray, and mobile ultrasound scan, saying it also has a paediatric/neonatal intensive care unit.

“The projects provided for include establishment of the molecular laboratory, procurement of personal protective equipment, the establishment of isolation centre and establishment of a 10 bedded Intensive Care Unit

“PPEs during the peak of COVID-19 skyrocketed. Before COVID-19, a carton of facemask sold for 25,000, but, at the height of Covid-19, I bought that for about N600,000, we could not even find it. That money was meant to allow us to function.

“Before COVID-19, we had one molecular laboratory for HIV and hepatitis, and we cannot mix. We had a building; we now tried to do an expansion. When the inspection team came, they rejected that, that the molecular laboratory requires a certain flow, so we had to build. As we speak, that centre has been accredited by NCDC.

“The first time they came we had an issue, then they came back for accreditation. We are just waiting for them to come back for activation.

“For the 10 bedded ICU, I had an ICU, but it was a bit of a sorry sight. we had to totally renovate the building and against 10, we ended up having a 16 bedded ICU. That ICU is the best in the South-South of this country,” he stated.

Prof Ememabasi said he was working on completing between six to eight major projects for inauguration before the end of the year.

He assured that due diligence was followed in all contract awards and execution both on the COVID-19 intervention projects and other ongoing projects inherited at various levels of completion.

He said: “Federal government contract has a procurement process, which you must get right, or you go on for it. It has an open bidding process and a contract awarded. For ICU, you must have done a contract on a similar project; must be able to guarantee service and maintenance.

“Almost all the buildings we met on ground are ongoing. The GOPD, completed and furnished. I make bold to say that there is no government hospital that has a better GOPD in this country than ours.

“We have completed the radio diagnostics (CT Scan) building. The laboratory block which we met at the earthing level, has been completed though it may not be ready for commissioning. The molecular laboratory building has been completed and fully equipped, awaiting commissioning”.

According to the CMD, the more than 25-year-old entrance to the hospital has been transformed while several internal roads have been constructed, adding that the 24 room, four suites private wing amenity ward have been transformed into an isolation centre, which has led the hospital to lose N5 million every month in terms of bed fees.

“The hospital expanded a lot faster than infrastructure, and we are therefore working to meet up. We are currently embarking on a water expansion of the project. We met the water capacity between 30,000- 40,000; now targeting 200,000, so far, we have achieved over 100,000 litres daily.

“The Intensive Care Unit has been commissioned. trying to implement the hospital management information system, an enterprise resource management system. It would cover our collection in terms of revenue, with telemedicine and electronic medical records as some of its components. That has helped us to block leakages and increase our Internally generated revenue.

“We are expecting the Health Minister to visit the hospital before the end of the year to commission not less than 6-8 projects,” he added.