Cross River Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk has stated that the State Government would explore all available options to effectively utilise the Obudu-German Specialist Hospital.
Ayuk who was speaking during his recent visit to the ultramodern hospital in Obudu, said the Governor Bassey Otu-led administration, which knows the importance of continuity in governance, has promised to create good road network from Calabar to Obudu and other adjoining communities, get the Ranch Resort back working, complete the Cargo Airport and other projects for the state-of-the-art health facility to reach its full potentials.
The Commissioner maintained that the strengthening of critical sectors of the State would automatically make the Obudu-German Specialist Hospital a haven for medical tourism in Nigeria and sub-sahara Africa.
"If this hospital must fly, then structures must be put in place to sustain it.
"We are talking about medical tourism, people must fly in here. So the dream for the Obudu Cargo Airport was well intended. That airport must be completed so that this medical wonder can meet its expectation. The roads leading to the hospital from Calabar to Obudu must be revitalised. The Ranch Resort must also be working, so that tourists who troop in can visit the hospital for their health needs while continuing with the adventures. These are the basic necessities for the Obudu-German hospital to thrive," Dr. Ayuk pointed out.
The Commissioner stated the present administration's commitment to strengthening the State Health Insurance Scheme to enable both formal and informal sectors access quality healthcare services at the facility.
The Health Boss enjoined the hospital management to boost its internally generated revenue by extending pharmaceutical, mortuary and oxygen services to public and private hospitals and the general public.
"This hospital must broaden its public relations activities to ensure community engagement and awareness on the services rendered by the hospital and the benefits of seeking medical assistance at the hospital. The government will also explore consultancy services of specialists from the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, whom, on rotation, would offer services. We have a broad spectrum of consultants who would fit in and upscale services in almost every area of the hospital," he stressed.
Ayuk lauded the efforts of the hospital management in brokering collaboration with other Organisations, particularly Zipline in the distribution of drugs to hard to reach areas, saying that is already what government is doing, and would be made to accommodate the hospital.
Speaking, the Acting Chief Medical Director of the Obudu-German Specialist Hospital, Dr. Seun Faturoti, said the well-equipped 140-bed medical centre is arguably the best in Nigeria.
He said that the facility which has been operational and open to all since its commissioning, boasts of an MRI Scan, CT Scan, Modular Operating Theatres, Robotic Pharmacy, General, Deluxe and Suite Rooms, Admission Dialysis and Endoscopy Unit, Emergency, Intensive Care Unit, X-ray machines among other ultramodern equipment, with over 3000 medical investigations done since its inception.
Faturoti called on Cross Rivererians and indeed Nigerians to take advantage of the ultramodern hospital for their health needs, as the Obudu-German Hospital is the one-stop shop for medical services and health needs.
By Ebi Collins, The Beagle News
