The wealth of a state is characterised by the health of her people. Since his assumption of office on May 29, 2015 as Governor of Enugu state; Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has shown undaunted commitment towards building a vibrant health sector. He has clearly achieved remarkable landmarks, stunning mileages and set unparalleled records in the annals of governance of states in Nigeria.
Sustained a well-acclaimed Free Maternal Health and Child Care programme while ensuring the proper equipment and staffing of existing health institutions including the six (6) district hospitals in Agbani, Awgu, Enugu Ezike, Isi-Uzo, Nsukka, Udi and Enugu North LGAs which were upgraded to Specialist Hospitals.
His administration also undertook the rehabilitation of clinics, wards, offices and catering units as well as the construction of security post at Emene Psychiatric Hospital, procured and delivered modern laboratory electrolytes and full blood counting machines, birth beds, cervical traction and lunar traction machines, microtome blades, ophthalmic instruments, sterilizing machine, operation microscope, to various departments of ESUT Teaching Hospital to facilitate the re-accreditation of those departments. His administration also provided one Electro-Convulsive Therapy machine (ECT) for the Psychiatric Hospital at Emene.
In addition, seven Health Centres in each of the Senatorial Zones of the State were equally renovated in 2015 under the Millennium Development Goals.
The Governor made efforts to ensure good health for citizens as stated in his 4-Point Agenda, he sustained the Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Programme in the State, undertook the procurement of computers, gubabi fire-proof safe, etc. to ensure the accreditation of the School of Midwifery in the ESUT Teaching Hospital. Similarly, a two-storey building was completed for the School of Nursing, to meet the accreditation requirements. Additionally, his administration embarked on the establishment of a 5-bed Dialysis Unit, procurement or equipment for the Endoscopy Unit, ICU, hussor birthbeds, cervical traction, lunar traction machines, microtome blades, ophthalmic instruments, patient trolley, auto-analyser, operating microscope, anaesthetic monitor, sterilising machine, examination couches, haemoglobin machine for clinics/wards, laboratory, theatre, Neurology Unit, ICU at the ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu. Governor Ugwuanyi provided the best learning environment for health students, completed the building, tiling, installation of burglary proofs and uplifting of male and female wards, offices, catering unit. He also undertook the provision of an electricity-generating set and cooking utensils for the Kitchen Department, procured and installed sophisticated equipment like Radiology MRI, Mammography machines, Procurement of a Comet Electro-Encephalogram Machine (EEG) for the Paediatric Ward of the hospital; Procurement of AGFA X-ray Digitizer/Digitizer printer for the Radiology Department; Procurement of an Automated Perimeter, Motorised Instrument Tray for the Paediatric Ward; Provision of Sechrist Infant Ventilator with CPAP mode for the Paediatric Ward; Procurement of four Baby Incubators for the newly-born; Provision of one Cardiac Patient Monitor for the ICU Ward; Provision of one Infusion Pump for the Theatre; Provision of one LED Phototherapy machine for the Paediatric ward; Provision of one Baby Transport Incubator for the Paediatric Ward; Provision of one Baby Resuscitate Machine for the newly-born Ward. Similarly, his administration renovated and expanded the Main Theatre Building at ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane while money was committed to epidemiology, surveillance and control of diseases like cholera, measles, polio, rota virus, etc. The Accident & Emergency building in ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, has been upgraded to a 2-storey building, furnished and put to use. Equipment such as Laparoscopic machine, Cardiotocography & Ultrasound (CTG & USS) machines, Feto-maternal patient monitor, amongst others, have been procured to enhance the capacity of the hospital in diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and antenatal care.
Having placed a high premium on meeting the health needs of the citizens of the state, Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration placed the Enugu State University College Teaching Hospital, Park Lane, Enugu, on a sound pedestal to provide quality healthcare services to people, completed and equipped the Enugu State Diagnostic Centre, secured the re-accreditation of courses for the School of Health Technology, Nsukka, and the School of Midwifery, Awgu.
Moreso, with the support of UNICEF, 3 Primary Health Centres at Obollo-Afor, Owerre Ezeorba and Obollo-Eke, were fully renovated and provided motorised water boreholes in the 3 Health Centres.
Extensive work was done in the construction and/or reconstruction of the 7 District Hospitals in the States, including but not limited to the renovation and upgrading of Paully Clinics, Asata Enugu, Udi District Hospital, Nsukka General Hospital, construction of a bungalow at Uwani Health Centre, renovation and painting of Nenwe Health Centre and commencement of construction work at Specialist Hospital Adada, Uzo Uwani Local Government.
Facilitated the accreditation programme at the ESUT College of Medicine, Park Lane Hospital, Enugu through the renovation/reconstruction and the purchase of laboratory and workshop equipment.
Governor Ugwuanyi known for his doggedness in the protection of lives and property and the maintenance of the dignity of the citizens immensely assisted in the evacuation, rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from Libya so that they could kick-start their lives and fend for themselves and their families. In his regime, the review of Enugu State Emergency Response Plan (2018 – 2020) was carried out and Incident Response Vehicle were procured to ease the evacuation and rescue of persons affected by different incidents of emergency and distribution of relief materials to the affected families.
Work was completed on the upgrading of Enugu State Friendship and Emergency Call Centre the centre is operational and invariably boosted the ease at which the citizens of the State can access emergency services from the government.
In 2019, the New National Health Act provided for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). This Fund which is 1% of the Federal Consolidated Revenue Fund as well as contributions from donor grants dedicated to healthcare provisioning. The Federal Government rolled out the Basic Health Care Provision Fund in 2018 following National Assembly appropriation for it. The fund is for reviving the health sector with particular focus on primary healthcare. Thus, the Enugu State Government led by Governor Ugwuanyi made the required counterpart fund contribution, set up the governance structures and has continued to fund the operations. It was during his administration that Enugu State government constituted State Universal Health Coverage Agency as enshrined in the new Enugu State Health Law to implement the State Social Health Insurance scheme that will guarantee access to services that will be provided under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) mentioned above. The Governance structures were in place, a take-off grant was approved, guidelines and benefits packages were also developed. He transposed the State Health Systems to provide primary healthcare through the Enugu State Agency for Universal Health Coverage which targeted the enrolment of all Enugu state residents and provision of free healthcare to vulnerable persons in the State. In this regard, state-of-the-art ICT systems for enrolment of beneficiaries and computerisation of service delivery in the State hospitals was provided. One Hundred and Fifteen (115) State Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC), out of the Two Hundred and Ninety-One (291) PHCs in the State, have been accredited by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for provision of free services for vulnerable persons under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. The State has commenced capitation funds to the 161 accredited PHCs across the 17 LGAs for the provision of free healthcare to 42,000 registered vulnerable, physically challenged and indigent persons in the State to cover the cost of providing health service from December 2021. The enrolment process is however sustained. Currently, efforts are geared towards increasing the number of accredited Primary Health Centres to ensure that every Electoral Ward has a Primary Health Centre providing free services for vulnerable persons. Meanwhile, 145,000 vulnerable persons representing 3% of Enugu State population have been registered for healthcare priorities for 2023 under the Universal Health Coverage.
The construction/completion of Secondary Healthcare Facilities was aggressively tackled with Paully General Hospital, Asata and Udi General Hospital already completed including the procurement of furniture and equipment. Also, the construction of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency standardised type III Primary Healthcare facilities was undertaken by his administration including the recruitment of Medical Officers, Consultants, Resident Doctors, House Officers, and other ancillary staff to address the manpower need of health facilities across the State.
More so in 2020, globally there was an outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic which affected the economy of nations. Governor Ugwuanyi administration designated the former Colliery Hospital Enugu as Enugu State Infectious Disease Hospital followed by its redesigning, reconstruction, construction and equipping of new structures in the complex. Equipped the reconstructed Agbani and Udi General hospitals while the renovation of Awgu General Hospital, Umulokpa and Itchi Cottage hospitals have been completed. Reconstructed Enugu-Ezike General hospital, constructed Amenity building at the General Hospital at Ogrute, Enugu Ezike, in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area. Paid for 50 room quarantine facility overtime, provided medical consumables and drugs at the isolation centres as well as provision of ambulance and incident vehicles for emergency operations. Massive and periodic decontamination of public places including hospitals, schools, Government Offices and markets across the State through Enugu State Fire Service. Rehabilitated facilities and provided essential supplies in 34 health facilities across the 17 LGAs, to scale up delivery of linked services and preparedness against community spread of COVID-19 infection by the Enugu State Save One Million Lives (SOML) Programme. Provisided Life Assurance policy for frontline health workers and granting of tax relief to the vulnerable in the state to cushion the adverse economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recapitalized the Drug Revolving Scheme (DRF) to ensure well-regulated drug pricing, availability and access to essential drugs. Despite the crippling effects of the pandemic, Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration strived to see to it that the State recovered from the negative impact of the pandemic enhancing COVID-19 vaccination in the State as one of the potent measures for curbing the pandemic following the receipt of COVID-19 vaccines from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
7 (seven) Model Type III Primary Healthcare facilities in Nkanu East, Igbo-Etiti, Igbo-Eze South, Isi-Uzo, Udenu, Ezeagu and Uzo-Uwani LGAs while three (3) additional Model Type III Primary Healthcare Centres are on the verge of completion in Adani, Oduma and Agbogugu in Uzo-Uwani, Aninri and Awgu LGAs respectively. This brings the total number of newly built and equipped Model Type III Primary Healthcare Centres by this administration between 2020 and 2022 to Ten (10). Nsukka, Ibagwa-Ani and Amandim-Olo Health Centres were upgraded to Model Type III Primary Healthcare facility standard which consisted of hospital block(s), separate residences for doctors and nurses.
Cottage hospitals with Isolation Wards were constructed in Awgu, Oji-River, Orba and Enugu Ezike. Constructed and furnished staff residential building and doctor’s quarters at Nsukka Isolation and Treatment Centre. Introduced and sustained payment of allowances and provision of protective materials for over 200 medical and non-medical frontline workers. Sustained
Installation of 100 (One Hundred) units of 200 litres Solar Refrigerators and Freezers at various Health Centres across the State.
This administration signed an agreement with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to pave way for the Federal Agency to take over the state-of-the-art Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre and provide comprehensive medical, diagnostic and oncology (cancer) treatment services to the people of Enugu State and beyond.
Funded the rehabilitation of Abor Health Centre, Udi LGA as well as the construction of a Health Centre in Umuabi, Udi LGA through their respective Town Unions. [Enugu State Ministry of Budget and Planning]
