COOUTH CMD Seeks Adazi-Ani Community’s Support for Hospital Development
By Nkiru Anakor
The Chief Medical Director of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, Dr. Maureen Uche Umeakuewulu, has solicited the support and partnership of the Adazi-Ani community in advancing the hospital’s development agenda and proposed projects.
Dr. Umeakuewulu made the appeal on October 29, during a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of Adazi-Ani Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Benson Chinedu Mmadubuko. She was accompanied by members of the hospital’s management team.
Addressing the monarch, the CMD highlighted interventions by the Anambra State Government under Governor Chukwuma Soludo aimed at strengthening the hospital’s infrastructure, improving service delivery and expanding its capacity to provide specialised healthcare services. She listed the construction of the Solution Trauma Centre, described as the only trauma centre in Southern Nigeria, and the procurement of modern medical equipment worth over N500 million among the major achievements.
Other interventions she highlighted included improved remuneration for COOUTH doctors, whom she described as the highest-paid in Nigeria, the payment of the highest Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) to resident doctors, the transfer of the Anambra State Oxygen Plant to the hospital management and the installation of solar-powered streetlights.
While appreciating the Governor’s support, Dr. Umeakuewulu stressed the importance of sustained collaboration with communities, private organisations and individuals to complement government efforts. She identified the construction of a Paediatric Complex, an Orthodontics/Maxillofacial/ENT/IVF Complex, the provision of staff utility buses and the establishment of a Trust Fund for indigent patients as priority areas requiring assistance.
According to her, the proposed Trust Fund would support patients who, despite receiving medical attention, were unable to pay their hospital bills, ensuring that financial difficulties did not prevent vulnerable individuals from accessing essential healthcare services. She added that the growing demands of healthcare delivery made it necessary for medical institutions to explore innovative funding opportunities and strategic partnerships beyond government allocations.
The CMD explained that the visit was also intended to congratulate Igwe Mmadubuko on his ascension to the traditional stool of Adazi-Ani Kingdom, brief him on government interventions at COOUTH and seek the community’s partnership in advancing the hospital’s development plans.
In his response, Igwe Dr. Benson Chinedu Mmadubuko expressed appreciation to Governor Soludo for appointing an indigene of Adazi-Ani to head the state’s university teaching hospital. He described the appointment as an opportunity for the community to contribute meaningfully to healthcare development and assured the CMD that he would consult with the President-General of the town union and other relevant stakeholders to identify possible areas of support.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr. Chima Ibeneme, proposed the establishment of a landmark at the hospital to recognise Adazi-Ani’s contributions and preserve its legacy for generations to come. The visit underscores COOUTH management’s commitment to strengthening community partnerships, mobilising support for institutional development and promoting access to quality healthcare services, irrespective of patients’ financial circumstances.
