*targets 3,000 patients annually
*aims to halt medical tourism
From Chuks Collins, Awka
Gov Chukwuma Soludo has commissioned the Same Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital in Oraifite, Ekwusigo council area of the state.
The multimillion naira hospital was initiated, built and equipped by the Oilserve Group and Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation in conjunction with the VOOM Foundation of the United States of America.
According to the Chief Executive of Oil serve Group -Sir Emeka Okwuosa, the vision for establishment of the referral hospital described as one of its kind in Nigeria, and a one-stop shop for referral medical cases.
Okwuosa in his address during the formal commissioning of the hospital Thursday afternoon described it as first of its kind in the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. That it was equipped with human and materials to undertake two open heart surgeries and other cardio-thoracic cases daily.
He said that he conceived and executed the project with the Voom Foundation’s management and was expected to undertake three thousand (3,000) cases annually.
The chief executive who has set up a board to oversee the affairs of the hospital.
That it was actually aimed at stemming the tide of overseas medical tourism as the Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital was fashioned and equipped with better facilities than most hospitals where affluent Nigerians troop to daily seeking medical attention.
Gov Soludo who commissioned the hospital with assistance of the Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe and represented by his deputy, Dr Onyeka Ibezim commended Okwuosa’s vision, large heart and concern for citizens who cannot afford foreign medical trip.
He appealed to other richly endowed citizens to come up with more such rare facilities.
