National hospital @20: Over 3,000 Abuja residents get free medicare

Aminat Isah, Abuja

Over 3,0000 Kuchingworo residents have received free medical Check-up during a medical outreach programme to mark the 20th anniversary of National Hospital Abuja.

The Chief Medical Director of National Hospital Abuja, Dr. Jaf Momoh, while speaking to newsmen at a press briefing to mark the hospital’s 20th anniversary said the National Hospital management would not relent on its oars in ensuring every patient gets the best service delivery from the hospital.

According Jaff. “As a pioneer staff, I have had the rare honour to have witnessed the various developmental stages of the hospital with successive boards and respected senior colleagues who had steered the ship of the top management of this great institution.

“I acknowledge your various contributions towards the development of this citadel of excellence and the noble feats the hospital has attained. To the esteemed and invaluable staff of this hospital, I commend your immense efforts, toil and sweat to bring this hospital to a lofty height.

“The National Hospital started on September 1st, 1999, 20 years ago. The hospital started as a 200-bed hospital with approximately 400 staff, with about 30 specialists’ consultants.

“Today, the hospital is 450 beds, 2,000 staff with 120 specialist consultants in various fields.

“It is now a national center of excellence in cancer care, neonatology, in-vitro fertilization, trauma care with a sub-regional level 1 trauma center. Its services are now computerized.

The CMD further revealed that a number of milestones have been a

achieved since 1999 with 2,345,437 outpatients already treated, while over 172,783 were on admission.

He also said “155,663 were discharged, 30,094 deliveries, 29,065 live birth, 202,844 ANC, 10,909 road traffic accident, 50,249 operations, 446,951 Radio Dianostic, 8, 543 Hemodialysis and 818 IVF success.”

The Chairman Governing Board of Abuja National Hospital Rt Hon. Olubunmi Patricia Etteh said the guidance and tremendous support given to the hospital by the Federal Government in the midst of dwindling financial resources is what has keptnit afloat.

Etteh, who was a former Speaker House of Representatives, said the present board was commissioned barely a year and a half ago, precisely on 6th March, 2018, and have recorded some modest achievements among which are: commissioning of national Cancer Centre, pgrade/expansion of private wing to ‘executive private wing’ for hospitalization of top Nigerians, Commissioning of 2 Linac Machines, Commissioning of CT Scanner, Provision of an archive for long-term documentation/record keeping as well as Slight dredging of Erosion Site.

The permanent secretary office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Dr. Amina Shamaki, at the flag-off of the medical outreach in Kuchingoro Community, commended the management of the hospital for the gesture and said it would help in improving the health indices of people in the country.

Others activities lined up for the celebrations includes anniversary lecture, endowment, a tour of the hospital new facilities, Jumat prayer, sporting activities, walk for life, novelty football match, gala/award night and finally a thanksgiving church service.