Essential Ndubuisi
By Mezie Akabudu
I was so surprised that all through my stay at Ozubulu during the Christmas period, there was no one gathering where Anambra State politics is discussed without Engr Chris Azubogu being the dominant factor, with his 4th medical outreach being the fulcrum of the discussion.
In one of such gatherings, a very renowned and or popular medical doctor in my town was in our midst. He agreed that based on what Azubogu did in his last medical outreach, that he has no doubt that healthcare will receive top priority in his administration if he becomes the governor of Anambra State come 2022.
The doctor told us that he foresees Azubogu establishing specialist hospitals all over the state, at least one in each local governments of the state! How? Just read further!
I doubted the achievability of such a feat considering the lean resources of the state. The gynecologist, who said he was at both the third and fourth editions, took over.
“The third edtion saw all surgeries performed at the Joint Hospital, Ozubulu. In the fourth edition, only general surgeries were performed at same venue while eye surgeries were moved to the Diocesan Hospital in Akwudo, Nnewi. The other two centres could get involved with orthopedic surgeries and the likes in the fifth edition.
“Isn’t it amazing that the Joint Hospital that performs average of one major surgery per day could go as many as 421 in eight days? It’s all about appropriate equipment and capable surgeons. All we need to have specialist hospitals all over the place is to provide adequate equipment and capable medical personnel to man them. There are hospitals all over our state begging to be so upgraded,” he educated a gathering of non medical professionals.
He went further to state that all Azubogu needs is the same thing HE Peter Obi did with schools and health institutions: upgrade one government, mission or community hospital in each local government to the status of specialist hospital in one or more fields. He said, for instance, that he could equip the Ozubulu Joint Hospital to a specialist OB and pediatric hospital, while Diocesan Hospital Akwudo will be a specialist optometrist hospital. General Hospital Ukpor and other hospitals in the other LGAs of the state could equally be so upgraded.
I may not know much about the medical profession, but I went home believing that with people-oriented leaders like Mr Project, nothing is truly impossible.
