The new Ag. CMD of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Joseph Ugboaja rolls out his new vision for the hospital management

Following the successful handover, The new Ag. CMD held a brief press interaction where he rolled out the new vision of the hospital and the strategies for achieving same.
This was followed by an inaugural management meeting where the management discussed the new vision and policy thrusts. The vision is to transform NAUTH to rank among the 5 top teaching hospitals in Nigeria and among the top 10 in Africa.

The key strategies include massive infrastructural development at the permanent site, acquisition of state of the art equipment, strategic human resource development, Collaboration and partnerships with key stakeholders as well as provision of high quality services.

Tuesday 26th

The Ag. CMD led members of management and other senior members of the hospital on a courtesy visit to the traditional institutions inline with the priority area- collaboration with key stakeholders.

He used the opportunity to update the royal fathers on what the board and management are doing especially as it relates to the movement to the permanent site.
He extended warm felicitations from the indefatigable Chairman and the honourable members of the board.

Royal fathers visited include the HRM Igwe KON Orizu III, Igwe Nnewi; HRM IgweDan Udoji, Igwe Oraifite; Obis of Uruagu, Umudim, Nnewichi and Irefi.

The royal fathers were happy with the visit, blessed the team and prayed for the good and progress of the hospital. Igwe KON Orizu announced that the palace will beautify the gate to the permanent site.

Wednesday, 27/01/21

The Team continued the visits with on the spot check at the Trauma Center Oba where it met with the staff and saw their challenges. The visit showed that the center is grossly underperforming but with a potential to generate tremendous finances if put in shape. Their immediate need include physical restructuring, generator, C- arm and an Xray with a digitizer. It was noted that hip and knee replacement surgeries which are the flagship projects of the hospital are being affected. On behalf of the board and management, they were assured them that these equipments, which are already captured in the 2021 appropriation will soon be provided. These items have been advertised.

The visits continued with the security agencies. These include the Police Area command, the DSS, the NDSC as well as the Road safety corp commander. This visit was important because of the increasing wave of crimes and kidnap in Anambra State and the need to safeguard the staff and property of NAUTH

The team concluded with a visit to the Specialty Clinic at the permanent site which is being prepared for the movement of the GOPD and NHIS from the old site on 1st February, 2021.
The team was satisfied with the level of preparedness.

Thursday- 28/01/21

The Ag. CMD held its second management meeting and discussed issues affecting the hospital. The new management resolved to work hard to move the hospital forward. The day was concluded with on the spot check at the Neni outstation which is being prepared to serve as additional surgical wards. The center was also noted to be under utilized. The Ag. CMD, on behalf of the board made a commitment to beef up services at the center in order to provide more services to the host communities and also generate more income. Their needs were noted.

Friday, 29th January

The Ag. CMD Dr Ugboaja Joe played host to some groups who came on solidarity visit to him. The first was Eze Ohirim, the chairman of council of traditional rulers of IMO State. Eze Ohirim expressed hope that the new administration will move the hospital to a new height and assured of his cooperation. Others were the labour unions.
The day was rounded off with a courtesy visit to the the Traditional ruler of Ozubulu, Eze Ugodinobi who received the team happily and promised to assist the hospital in it’s efforts to improve services.

Ongoing Projects
The new Ag.CMD also inspected the ongoing projects which include the new CSSD, the Specialty clinic, Virology laboratory and the standard Isolation center being constructed at the permanent site. He assured that these projects will be quickly completed to assist the hospital in achieving its strategic objectives.

Concluding note :
Two of the key thematic areas in achieving the vision of transforming NAUTH to rank among the top 5 hospitals in Nigeria are massive infrastructural development at the permanent site and acquisition of the state of the art equipment . Public Private partnership/collaboration is a key strategy in accomplishing both of these objectives as Government cannot provide all the needed funding.
Mobilizing all stakeholders for the purposes of achieving the new administration’s strategic objectives of transforming NAUTH is therefore envisaged to elicit their cooperation and assistance.
We are all relevant stakeholders in the NAUTH project and the success, transformation and development of it’s facilities will be of immense benefit to us. Let’s join hands together with the management to break new frontiers.

Dr Obiagwu Hillary
Special Assistant to the Chief Medical Director on strategic communications.