Work has commenced on the $150 million Justice Karibi Whyte Mega Specialist Hospital in Rivers State.
The state-of-the-art mega specialist hospital that is expected to be one of the best in sub-saharan Africa on completion, is being built by the Amaechi-led administration with Clinotech Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals of Canada as the project consultants.
According to the state Health Ministry, the hospital will replace all overseas referral cases and offer quality medical services of world standard to the people of Rivers State, Nigeria and other African countries.
This would in essence reduce the number of patients referred abroad for treatment, and fwhile encouraging patients to be flown into the country from other parts of Africa for treatment.
“The mega hospital project which was earlier planned to be built on the site of the former University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital is now under construction at a bigger and more spacious site within the new Greater Port Harcourt City.
Senior Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor on Media and Publicity, David Iyofor explained that “the move was in line with Governor Amaechi’s efforts to decongest Port Harcourt City and at the same time fast track development in the Greater Port Harcourt city. However, the former Teaching Hospital grounds will not be left undeveloped as the proposed Women and Children’s Hospital Project is to be sited there.”
Rivers State government is expected to spend a minimum of $150 million for the building of the 1,000 bed mega hospital. Already, $39 million has been paid out to the contractors.
Iyofor also disclosed that the original 18 floor plan for the hospital has been altered due to the hospital’s proximity to the Port Harcourt International Airport, as advised by the airport
authority.
“It has now be redesigned into an H building with 13 and 10 floors”, he added.
Governor Amaechi’s spokesman, further stated that “the Justice Karibi Whyte Mega Specialist Hospital has been designed to make Rivers State the number one Medical Tourism destination in Africa. It would have a leisure arm that would make it a major tourist attraction”, he said.
Other Health projects being undertaken by the Rivers State Government include a 120 bed model Niger Hospital which will serve the whole of Diobu and environs in collaboration with the Primary Health Centres around that area. Another 120 bed Hospital is being built in the premises of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST, to serve the University community and other surrounding communities.
The new 4 storey Ultra Modern Rivers State Dental and Maxillofacial Hospital is now almost completed and according to Governor Amaechi’s Senior Special Adviser, David Iyofor, “the Government is proposing to build another big General Hospital on a land it acquired behind the Dental Hospital. The General Hospital when completed will serve the whole of D/Line area and beyond due to its proposed size.”
Iyofor also confirmed that over 35 Primary Health Centres in different parts of the State have been completed while many others are nearing completion. “We are building a total of 154 Primary Health Centres across the State. Over 35 of these Health Centres are ready, they include: Iriebe and Rumuepirikom in Obio/Akpor LGA, Umusoya and Obeama in Oyigbo LGA, Ogbakiri and Ndele in Emohua LGA and Agbonchia and Eteo in Eleme LGA.”
“Others are, Okochiri and Ogoloma in Okirika LGA, Ipo and Elele in Ikwerre LGA, Yeghe in Gokana LGA, Beeri in Khana LGA, Unyeada in Andoni LGA and Buguma in Asari-Toru LGA.” Iyofor said.
He added that the Primary Health Centres are built and situated strategically in such a way that they can easily be accessed by the people in both urban and rural areas no matter where they live.
A significant transformation has also been recorded in the State owned BraithWaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, BMSH such as constant supply of drugs to the Hospital, more medical equipments like the CT scan Machine, orthopedic equipment and the training and re-training of Doctors, Radiologists and other medical personnel.
Jul182009