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Tag: FETHA

  • FG renames Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki after late Ekwueme

    The Federal Government (FG) has approved the renaming of Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) to Alex Ekwueme University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

    Alhaji Ahmed Ramalan, Chairman of the hospital’s board, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abakaliki at a press conference.

    He said the renaming was with immediate effect.

    Ramalan said Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, gave the approval on behalf of the government as it is important to bring the action to the notice of the people of Ebonyi and Nigerians.

    “We hope that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will unveil the hospital’s new logo when he visits before the May 29 swearing-in of elected leaders in the country.

    “This is a big achievement in the “next level” mantra of the present administration and it is hoped that the renaming will make the hospital attain greater heights,” he said.

    He said the request for the renaming was made by the University and the Federal Ministry of Health graciously approved it.

    “The university requested to have FETHA as its teaching hospital as the development will bring lots of benefits to it.

    “It will receive funding of infrastructural development from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and manpower capacity building of staff from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF),” he said.

    Ramalan said the board had a successful year in the saddle haven been inaugurated in March 2018.

    “We have recorded successes within the period which include; completion of the construction and furnishing of a 500-seater auditorium and that of a lecture hall.

    “The medical ward complex has undergone 70 per cent completion while we have completed the renovation of the Resident Doctors’ quarters.

    “We have purchased and installed a 5000 KVA generating set and an Echo scan, blood gas analyser, embedding machine, among others,” he said.

    Dr Emeka Ogah, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, noted that the renaming has elevated the hospital to a teaching hospital status.

    “We are presently more equipped to execute our core mandate,” he said.

  • Police arrest man who killed family, neighbours

    The Police in Ebonyi state have arrested the machete-wielding man, Simon Ugbala who went on a killing spree murdering 7 people and injuring 4 others.

    This is even as one other person died from the attack by the 35-year-old man bringing the total number of his victims to eight.

    The suspect had, on Monday in what looks like a mental breakdown, gone berserk and attacked his wife and two children with the machete giving them severe machete cuts which led to their death.

    Not done, he entered his Ozibo community in Ebonyi local government area of Ebonyi state and attacked some members of the community with the same machete killing four of them while four others were severely wounded and hospitalized.

    He later ran away into the bush as the youths of the community and the Police searched for him.

    Following the incident, the youths numbering over 200 mounted surveillance in the community throughout the night in conjunction with the Police to prevent a re-occurrence.

    The suspect was said to have appeared in the community the next day and attacked more people killing one other person which necessitated the involvement of the Military.

    The news of his re-appearance forced many parents to withdraw their kids from schools in the community for fear that he may attack the school

    Their combined efforts paid off as he was arrested on Wednesday in the community and handed over to the police.

    Police spokesman in the command, Loveth Odah confirmed the incident.

    She said the suspect was arrested by a combined team of the Police, Army and the youths of the community.

    She said the suspect has been moved to the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, FETHA, for Psychiatric examination and evaluation at the Psychiatric Unit to ascertain his mental state.

    Read Also: Police investigate man for sodomy

    The spokesman urged people to always take people suspected to be mentally imbalanced to the hospital for treatment to prevent such incidents from happening.

    “Insane person is no more one person business. When one person is suspected to be insane, the community should come together and take the person away. I think they have a place to stay which is a Psychiatric hospital. It is a place where a suspected insane person is treated”.

    “You are talking about disorganizing the community, yes! When eight persons are already dead and others are in critical condition, what do you expect, she said.

  • Lassa outbreak: Fistula Centre evacuates patients from hospital

    Lassa outbreak: Fistula Centre evacuates patients from hospital

    Following the recent outbreak of Lassa Fever in Ebonyi state, the National Obstetric Fistula Centre (NOFIC), Abakaliki has evacuated its patients from the hospital following outbreak of Lassa fever at the nearby Virology Centre of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA).

    This is even as the state House of Assembly on has summoned contractors that built N350million ultra-modern virology centre to appear before it over allegations that they did not fully equipped the hospital after they were paid by the state government.

    Both NOFIC and the Virology centre were built by the state government and taken over by the federal government.

    The two institutions are located inside the premises of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, close to each other with a wall separating them from each other.

    The Nation had reported how two doctors at FETHA and a nurse had died in a fresh Lassa fever outbreak in the hospital.

    Another doctor is said to be in critical condition at Irrua Lassa fever Specialist Hospital, Edo state though The Nation could not independently verify this report.

    Worried by the outbreak of the disease in FETHA, management of the National Obstetric Fistula centre evacuated all the patients in the hospital to an undisclosed hospital.

    When The Nation visited NOFIC, no patient was seen at the wards.

    A staff of the hospital who spoke confidence said all the patients in the hospital were evacuated to another hospital.

    “You know this hospital is located beside this virology centre and some of the patients including the deceased were taken to the virology centre before being evacuated to Irua Specialist hospital where some of them died early this week.

    “So, our management feel it is very imperative to evacuate all our patients out of our hospital even though the virology centre has been fumigated”, he said.

    He disclosed that some of the patients that were evacuated from the hospital just passed through surgery.

  • FETHA partnering Ebonyi to deliver quality healthcare

    FETHA partnering Ebonyi to deliver quality healthcare

    One of the major challenges confronting the Ebonyi State Government and the residents is health services delivery.

    The situation is worsened by the ever increasing population, increased health challenges and insufficiency of manpower and facilities.

    When Ebonyi State Government, led by David Umahi, came on board in 2015, it discovered that the general hospitals and other health facilities in the state were almost grounded and thus he proceeded to declare a state of emergency in the section.

    The state government, therefore, moved to resuscitate the general hospitals by awarding contract to rehabilitate some of them.

    The government also swung into action to fight the dreaded Lassa fever and Cholera which was claiming many lives in the state.

    Realising that the state facilities will not be able to successfully bear the health burdens of the state, the state government went into partnership with the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, to help in combating the dreaded diseases.

    The decision worked like magic as the state was able to bring the menace of the two deadly diseases under control within a little time.

    The Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA), Ebonyi State, is a tertiary health centre which is meant to serve as the last port of call for sick patients but is daily congested with patients as many patients boycott the health centre and general hospitals and rushed directly to the hospital.  In some cases, patients who were down with malaria could be managed in the general hospitals rush to FETHA.

    Varied reason account for that, one being the lack of confidence on the capacity and capability of the General Hospitals, located in each of the 13 council areas of the state to manage their health conditions. A visit to FETHA would indicate that, if for any reason, its services are cut short, Ebonyi State residents would suffer.

    This informed the decision of the state government to partner with the hospital even though it is federal government owned.

    The state government is also investing in the teaching hospital by constructing a Virology Centre at the FETHA, so as to stop the practice where residents of Ebonyi State and environs who are suspected to have been infected with Lassa fever are sent to IRUA Specialist Hospital in Edo Etate for diagnoses.

    The centre, which cost the state government N350,000 to build and equip, was commissioned recently by the Minister of Health, Prof Issac Adewole.

    The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike, said all equipment for the take-off of the centre has been procured by the state government.’

    He said the state government approved and gave mandate to the state’s Ministry of Health to complete and upgrade the renovation and reconstruction of the 13 General Hospitals in the thirteen council areas of the state.

    The Ministry had also been mandated to upgrade 171 Primary Health Centres, starting with 65 at five per local government area and to also ensure the construction of State Drug Distribution Centre. Even so, FETHA remains the major source of health services delivery.

    Dr. Emeka Onwe-Ogah is the current Chief Medical Director of FETHA. On assumption of office, he proceeded to build a theater complex for the institution as the former one was becoming too small for a tertiary institution of such magnitude which witnesses influx of hundreds of patients on a daily basis.

    The theatre was also commissioned same day by the minster. Speaking at the occasion, the CMD solicited the help of the minister and the state government to equip the complex for maximum performance and service to the people of the state.

    The state governor, David Umahi, and the minister both promised to provide the equipments as soon as possible.

    The federal government also launched the State Health Insurance Scheme and inaugurated a-21 member committee on Health to man it.

    The Minster of Health lauded the partnership between FETHA and Ebonyi State Government. Inaugurating the project situated at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA) premises, Adewole said the federal government would partner with Ebonyi to deliver adequate healthcare to the people.

    “The federal government will inaugurate six virology centres across the country to check the disease, as the 2015 outbreak was the most disastrous in the country’s history.

    “The mortality rate was about 60 percent, which implied that for every 10 cases, six fatalities were recorded due to late diagnosis.

    “This centre will be designated as the South-East Virology Centre to cater for patients battling with the disease in the zone and beyond.

    “The federal government will not grant the state government’s request for refunds on the project but will assist it in ensuring that the centre is viable.”

    The minister further said the government had completed arrangements to implement the Universal Health Coverage Programme for overall healthcare delivery to Nigerians.

    “The state governor should be commended for his commitment in inaugurating the centre; he is a shining example of a provider of adequate healthcare delivery in the country.”

    The minister also inaugurated the Ebonyi Health Insurance Scheme, reiterating the federal government’s resolve to partner with states that had shown commitment to improve healthcare delivery.

    In his remark, Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State said the government watched helplessly while its people died of Lassa fever disease in 2015 and decided to salvage the situation.

    “The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of this hospital informed me that he had sought the construction of the centre for over 10 years and this motivated us into action.

    “We want refunds for the construction and equipping the centre and if this is not granted, we will charge fees for treatment of patients coming from other parts of the country,” he said.

    On the Health Insurance Scheme, Umahi said the state government had earmarked N1 billion for the smooth commencement of the programme.

    “This programme will involve saving the lives of over three million citizens of the state; the 13 general and six mission hospitals in the state will be strengthened to actualize this goal.

    “We have submitted the State Health Insurance Scheme bill to our State House of Assembly and are expecting its expeditious passage into law,” he said.

    The minister inspected facilities at the centre, which include six ambulances for conveyance of patients and he also inaugurated a 21-man committee for the successful implementation of the State Health Insurance Scheme.

    Dr. Onwe-Ogah, in an interaction with reporters said his predecessor, Dr Paul Ezeonu, really tried his best to make sure the hospital was at the status he met it.

    His words:  “When I took over in April last year, we have achieved improved service delivery. The Deputy C-MAC, who is a plastic surgeon, has been able to do what is called liposuction. He has been able to reduce the excess fat in somebody’s breast. A man like us has a breast that looks like that of a woman.

    “He has been able to address it and the man looks like a man now. It is the first of such successful operation in Nigeria.  We also have so many others like Dr. Okorie has a procedure in doing what is called prostratomy. Sometimes, you see elderly men complaining of inability to urinate”.

    “When they get to the hospital, they will tell them that their prostrate is enlarged and that they have to undergo operation. We have a better way of doing it; such a way that the person will not lose much blood and die.”

  • Umahi donates equipment to FETHA

    Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi has donated over N10 million worth of equipment to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA)

    Handing over the equipment at the hospital, Umahi said it will serve the state, the neighbors and beyond.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike, Umahi said his administration was determined to tackle health challenges, adding that the cholera outbreak was under control.

    FETHA’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Emeka Ogah said Governor Umahi was checking on his sick friend when he discovered the hospital lacked the equipment and made moves to provide it.

    He said the equipment, known as self harvester, will give actual component of blood needed by patients and reduce over transfusion.

    He promised that the equipment will be used for the purpose it was procured.