Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) says it remains committed to the capacity building of health professionals to render quality and affordable healthcare services in Niger Delta.
Mr Igo Weli, Head of Corporate Relations, SPDC stated this on Friday at the ongoing Quality Improvement Training for healthcare professionals from selected public hospitals in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.
The oil firm donated two ambulances and solar-powered vaccine freezers to Edagbebiri Cottage Hospital in Rivers and Otuasega Cottage Hospital in Bayelsa.
The ambulances are equipped with mini-intensive care units.
Weli, who was represented by Mr Amaechi Ijeoma, Corporate Relations Manager, West of SPDC said that the company and its joint venture partners have supported over 27 public health facilities across the Niger Delta.
He explained that the support was in the areas of infrastructure upgrade, health systems strengthening, equipment and supplies and capacity building.
“As a company, SPDC understands the role of quality health care service in improving overall health outcomes and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Hence as part of the organisation’s commitments to its host communities, we started the quality improvement journey across all the supported health facilities,” Weli said.
According to him, health improvement in healthcare facility requires systemic and continuous actions that leads to measurable improvement in the degree to which the health care delivered reflects professional knowledge and standards.
Prof Dimie Ogoina, Chief Medical Director at Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) noted that the quality improvement scheme at NDUTH has pushed up performance from 24 per cent in 2014 to 57 per cent in 2018.
Ogoina, who is a resource person in the capacity-building component said that NDUTH aims to be the first public hospital to get international certification for quality improvement in Nigeria.
Presenting the ambulances and vaccine storage freezers, Group General Manager of NAPIMS, the investment arm of NNPC Limited, Mr Bala Wunti said the gesture was to bring the benefits of oil exploration to Nigerians.
Wunti, who was represented by Mrs Bumi Lawson, a Director at NAPIM, urged the management of the benefiting health facilities to deploy the items judiciously in a responsible manner.
Responding, Dr Ajoebi Oluwalobi, Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa Ministry of Health applauded the donors for the ongoing support to the health sector and appealed to them to sustain the trend.
More than 60 medical professionals from benefitting public medical facilities from Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers are participating in the training in Yenagoa.