The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) and its joint venture partners have given a new lease of life to government owned Edagberi Cottage Hospital in Ahoada West Local Government area of Rivers State.
The 20-bed hospital was ravaged by flood in 2012 which rendered it disused until the multi-million-naira intervention by the NNPC/SPDC/TotalEnergies/NAOC Joint Venture, leading to the recent reopening of the facility on July 27.k.
Commissioner for Health in Rivers State, Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, described the intervention by SPDC and its partners as a critical move that would change the face of health care delivery in Edagberi community and its environs.
“Shell and its partners, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, have proved that they really value their hosts in the scheme of things and for which reason we thank the joint venture for coming to the aid of government to revamp the hospital,” said the commissioner, who was represented at the reopening ceremonies by the Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State Health Management Board, Dr. Bright Ogbonda.
SPDC’s Community Health Manager, Dr. Akin Fajola, noted that the close collaboration between the state government, the community leadership and the joint venture partners made the revamp project a success. He therefore advocated stronger ties between the community and SPDC for a peaceful environment that would allow for the delivery of social investment projects.
In a goodwill message at the reopening ceremonies, SPDC’s Director and Country Head, Corporate Relations, Igo Weli, who was represented by the Corporate Relations Manager, Evans Krukrubo, called for a sustainability system by the hospital management board in collaboration with the community to ensure the availability of the facility to serve the people. “Revamping the hospital is not enough but ensuring that the managers sustain a maintenance culture that keeps the hospital in good service shape at all times,” Weli said.
The Edagberi Cottage Hospital is one of the five supported by the SPDC-operated joint venture in Rivers State. The renovation included the provision of a standard laboratory, a blood bank, a diagnostics centre, a maternity ward, and a well-equipped theatre and an emergency room with a suction machine and an automated external defibrillator (AED). The hospital has also been provided with an ambulance and staff accommodation.
As part of the reopening ceremonies, over 800 people benefitted from a medical outreach programme which offered surgical services, general consultation and treatment, pharmaceutical services, laboratory services including grouping and cross matching, a blood bank for blood transfusion, emergency services, handling of minor procedures and immunization services
The opening ceremonies were attended by the traditional head of Edagberi, King Sunny Ubele Okilomakie and other dignitaries.
