Enugu State Government has announced the upgrade of the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Ogbede, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, to a General Hospital.
The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, made the disclosure on Tuesday during the inauguration of the project.
Ortuanya said that the State Government was currently pursuing the upgrade of the facility to a Federal Medical Center.
He said that the move was aimed at addressing lack of a Federal Government-owned medical facility in Enugu North Senatorial Zone.
He said that the State Government was budgeting much money in the health sector as it occupied a strategic position in its policy.
“We want to ensure that our people access quality and affordable health care across the state. We have recently built and renovated several hospitals across the state.
“Today, we are building the Infectious Disease Hospital and have plans to build more hospitals across the rural communities of the state to ensure safety of our pregnant mothers and their children,” he said.
Ortuanya commended the people of the area for providing the land and other logistic supports, urging them to protect government facilities situated in their domains to avoid cases of destruction.
Earlier, the President General of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, commended the state government for the reconstruction and upgrade of the facility.
Nwodo said that Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had by such gesture written his name in the hearts of the people of the area.
Also, the traditional ruler of Uwelle -Amakofia, lgwe Ajima Ezekaibe, described the gesture as a remarkable feat, adding that indigenes of the area should be considered for employment in the facility.
The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Greg Nnaji, said that the facility was built to meet up with the international best standard of hospitals in the classification with twenty-four hour off grid and on grid power supply.
Earlier in an address, the Chairman of the council, Mrs Nkechi Ugwu-Oju, said that the plans to further upgrade the facility was commendable. (NAN)