Oredola Adeola

Nigeria LNG (NLNG) has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the Federal Medical Centre Asaba for renovating and equipping Neonatal Wards and Intensive Care Unit, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi for constructing and equipping a laboratory complex, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, for renovating and constructing an oxygen plant, marking the commencement of the second phase of its multi-billion-naira Hospital Support Programme (NLNG HSP).

Dr. Philip Mshelbila,  NLNG’s Managing Director, signed the MoUs on Wednesday with the respective medical directors of the Federal Medical Centre following the successful completion and implementation of phase 1 involving six hospitals.

Dr. Mshelbila, in his welcome address at the ceremony, recalled that the HSP initiative was conceived on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic when NLNG donated numerous intensive care medical equipment to medical institutions across Nigeria.

According to him, one of the fundamentals of the HSP programme is to foster partnerships that support infrastructural development and encourage immediate utilisation of the facilities to deliver quality healthcare services to Nigerians.

The NLNG boss said, “Through this MoU, we will be able to channel our collective efforts towards addressing the healthcare needs of our people, promoting healthcare delivery, and driving positive change in the lives of vulnerable individuals”.

“The hospitals involved in today’s MoU have a proven and long-standing tradition of providing quality healthcare services to all sections of society. This MoU will amplify our collective impact, leveraging our resources, expertise, and locations to the outcomes of the Hospital Support Programme,” he added.

Dignitaries at the event include NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr Olakunle Osobu; NLNG’s General Manager, Finance, Mrs Fatima Adanan; Chief Medical Director (CMD), Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Dr. Osiatuma Azubuike; CMD, Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja; and CMD, Abubakar Tafawa Belewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Prof. Yusuf Jibrin.

Advisors Reports’ check revealed that the beneficiaries of Phase 1 of the Hospital Support Programme include Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos; University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada; Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) Kano; University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin; University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar; and Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Yenagoa.

NLNG therefore disclosed that the projects already delivered in Phase 2 include the equipping of the renal centre at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt; the renovation and equipping of an accident and emergency unit and theatre at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Uyo; and the construction and equipping of a twin theatre suite at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Jos.

NLNG confirmed that it has commissioned eight of the projects so far.

Advisors Reports further gathered that the Hospital Support Programme is a multi-billion-Naira scheme by NLNG to reshape the healthcare landscape and enhance medical training within teaching hospitals nationwide. All the completed projects are already in active use.