•Unveils 120-bed O&G block at LUTH

By Chioma Obinna & Dickson Omobola

To make Nigeria a destination of choice for world-class healthcare delivery, The Nigeria LNG, NLNG, Limited has commenced commissioning of Phase 1 projects in its multi-billion-naira Hospital Support Programme (NLNG HSP) in Lagos, Kano, Bayelsa and Cross River states.

The round started with  commissioning a 120-bed Obstetrics & Gynaecology Ward at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, in Lagos. This will be followed by  commissioning of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Yenagoa; an Occupational Therapy and Neuromodulation Rehabilitation Centre at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano; and a Neurosurgical and Stroke Centre at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, Calabar.

The commissioning of projects began in 2022 with the opening of a maternity centre at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada and a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

These teaching hospitals were selected in the first phase. The programme targets 12 hospitals in total from the six geographical zones in the country.

The NLNG Hospital Support Programme (HSP) is NLNG’s national Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative which aims to boost the healthcare delivery system in 12 Federal University Teaching Hospitals  across the six geopolitical zones in the country.

The programme started in 2022 and will aid the excellent delivery of prenatal and postnatal services by providing 120 beds, a waiting room, nurses’ stations, private wards, consulting rooms, a radiation room, and doctors’ and nurses’ call rooms.

Speaking at the event, NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Philip Mshelbila, represented by General Manager of External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr. Andy Odeh, explained that the facilities were upgraded to provide quality medical care for Nigerians.

“This facility was a four-storey structure in a moribund state but it has been re-constructed, its facilities fully upgraded and properly equipped to boast of a first-rate Obstetrics and Gynaecology consulting centre anywhere in the world,” he said.

He added that the ward would help in addressing the infrastructure shortfall of the hospital, noting that healthcare delivery is a core aspect of the firm’s corporate social responsibility.

“More facilities have been provided for the teeming number of patients in this metropolitan city of Lagos; while a more congenial environment has been provided for dispensation of efficient healthcare delivery systems. These are parts of grounds for our setting out to implement HSP in our tertiary health institutions.

“We are delighted to be part of the progress in giving more Lagosians better healthcare.

“Healthcare delivery is one of the four pillars of Nigeria LNG Corporate Social Responsibility interventions. The rest are education, infrastructure and empowerment. We have always anchored our implementation strategy on partnership and stakeholding.

“While Nigeria LNG continues to deliver significant socio-economic value through the export of Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources, its  vision of being a globally competitive LNG company, helping to build a better Nigeria, inspires every CSR intervention which it has sponsored.”

On his part, Minister of State for Health, Mr. Ekumankama Nkama, thanked the initiators and managers of the project for proper execution, adding that the ward, built about 60 years ago, had not undergone any major renovation.

“We hope for more from your organisation and  similar organisations. I am delighted that NLNG has made efforts to ensure good healthcare delivery. Qualitative healthcare cannot be achieved by the government alone, we solicit assistance from multinational companies,” he said.

Also, Acting Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Professor Wasiu Adeyemo, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, corporate bodies and multinational companies to extend their corporate social responsibilities to the institution.

“On behalf of the board of management, staff and students of LUTH, and Nigerians in general, I will like to publicly appreciate this singular effort by Nigeria LNG to contribute their own quota as part of their CSR to improve the facilities in our hospital.

I am aware this project is among the six projects in Phase 1 of their efforts, I want to plead that LUTH is remembered when subsequent phases of your efforts in improving facilities in our hospital begin. We shall be forever grateful,” he concluded.