The Nigeria LNG (NLNG) has signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with three Nigerian teaching hospitals to flag off the second phase of its multi-billion-naira hospital support programme (NLNG-HSP).
The NLNG-HSP is NLNG’s national Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, according to Andy Odeh, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development.
CSR initiative, Odeh said in a statement, aims to boost the healthcare delivery system in 12 Federal University Teaching Hospitals.
The programmes are located across all the six geopolitical zones in the country.
The programme started in 2022 with the signing and implementation of MoUs with the six hospitals in the first phase.
For the second phase, NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr Olalekan Ogunleye, representing the Managing Director, Dr Philip Mshelbila, signed MoUs with respective medical directors of the teaching hospitals.
The hospitals are the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).
The UPTH project is the equipping of Haemodialysis Centre while that of UUTH is for renovation and equipping of its accident and emergency unit and theatre.
For the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), NLNG will construct and equip a twin theatre suite.
While signing the MOUs, Ogunleye said the NLNG’s vision of being a globally competitive company, has inspired it’s CSR intervention in the last 20 years.
He stated that NLNG would soon begin the third phase of the programme.
The company, he noted, is already completing and inaugurating hospital projects in earlier phases of the programme.
He also stated that the company recognised that good healthcare was necessary for economic, human and social development in Nigeria.
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the DMD added that NLNG placed a premium on healthcare due to this recognition.
“Nigeria faces several health challenges, including infectious diseases, maternal and child mortality and non-communicable diseases.
“Poor health outcomes can severely affect economic growth, human development and overall well-being.
“Access to quality healthcare can improve productivity, reduce mortality rates, improve educational outcomes and the quality of life.
“It can equally increase life expectancy and social and economic status,” Ogunleye said.
He noted that poor health outcomes disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including women, children and the elderly.
“Access to quality healthcare can also help reduce health disparities and promote social equity.
“This, in turn, can help reduce poverty, promote gender equality, and promote social cohesion.
“Already, we have recorded successes under phase one with commissioning of projects at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada.”
He said the maternity complex in UATH was opened to the delivery of healthcare services and enrolment of antenatal patients in January 2023, when the first baby was born.
Ogunleye said UATH had recorded four maternal deliveries and three caesarean sections so far.
The hospital also nursed two babies successfully nursed at the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).
He listed the teaching hospitals under phase 1 of the project to include Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) Gwagwalada and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH).
Others are University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) and Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Yenagoa.
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This year, he said three projects are due for inauguration, still under the first phase of the CSR programme.
These include an Occupational Therapy and Neuromodulation Rehabilitation Centre at the AKTH, Kano and an Obstetrics & Gynaecology Ward at LUTH, Lagos.
It also included a Neurosurgical and Stroke Centre at the UCTH, Calabar.
In his goodwill message, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said healthcare service delivery is collective responsibility of all stakeholders.
Ehanire was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Health, Alhaji Mahmuda Mamman.
He noted that stakeholders are expected to contribute their quota to make it accessible and affordable.
The minister commended NLNG for its resilience, dedication and continued support to health sector with achievement in universal health coverage.
He called on other organisations to partner with the government as part of their CSR initiatives to fill the gaps.
Under phase 3, NLNG will also deliver three hospital projects.
They are the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Federal Medical Centre, Asaba and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi.
NLNG is also equipping of a Renal Transplant Center at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital to support a robust healthcare system in Rivers State as part of its COVID-19 intervention programme.
NLNG is owned by four Shareholders, namely, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (49%), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6%), TotalEnergies Gaz & Electricity Holdings (15%), and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr.l (10.4%).
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