– Says, NAUTH’ll help president achieve his objective in health
The chairman of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu is prioritizing the development of the healthcare sector in Nigeria to stem the tide of medical tourism abroad.
Dalori stated this on Thursday, during his maiden visit to NAUTH as the newly appointed chairman of board of the tertiary healthcare institution. He said his tenure as chairman will work hard to ensure that the hospital will serve as one of those that will put an end to medical tourism abroad.
The former lawmaker who is also the APC national vice chairman North West while addressing staff and students of the institution said he will make welfare and motivation of staff top agenda in his leadership of the hospital.
“I’m happy to be appointed as chairman of this institution, and I want to say that I am happy to serve in an institution that has set high standard of excellence in healthcare.
“We are here to introduce ourselves, build a relationship and talk about how we can do the job at hand. I want to tell you that access to affordable and good health care is part of President Tinubu’s top agenda.
“We will work with you all to achieve this, and I must tell you that welfare and motivation will top the agenda of my reign in this institution. I’m indeed happy to be with you,” he said.
Earlier, Chief Medical Director of the institution, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja welcomed the board chairman, reeling to him some of the achievements the institution has attained since it moved to its permanent site last year.
Ugboaja said: “My Chairman, as you may have seen, today we are building a new hospital totally different from the old NAUTH. Our old site is associated with oid and dilapidated building, which is very far from what the new NAUTH is.
“The old site was only 350-bedspace housed facility, but here is being built as a 2,000-bed capacity facility, but when fully completed, the permanent site will become the biggest and best hospital in Nigeria.
“Mr chairman, you are known for integrity and hard work and we are happy that we have you at this time when we are passing through a phase. Your coming on board is not accidental, but occasioned divinely. Your chairmanship will bring changes and we hope to use you political reach and good will as much as your political disposition.
“We are here to present your hospital to you and to also present ourselves before you. We hope to become the biggest and best when completed.”
The CMD also took the chairman on a tour of most facilities in the hospital, including: The trauma centre with 120 bed space, an emergency unit of 120 bed space, the surgical and medical ward complex with 200 bed space, mother and child building and many other.
