Rivers govt authorizes N5bn for resurrection of neglected hospitals

Rivers State Executive Council (SEC) has authorized over N5Billion to restore failed Prof Kersley Harrison Hospital and the Dental and Maxillofacial Hospital, both found in Port Harcourt.

The State Commissioner for Health, Prof Princewill Chike disclosed this as a fallout of Wednesday’s Rivers SEC meeting presided over by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

Chike explained that “For the Prof Kersley Harrison Hospital, civil work is to cost One Billion, Seven Million, Two Hundred and Five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-One Naira, Fifty One Kobo.

“While equipping, furnishing and installation of medical equipment will cost Six Hundred and Ninety-Three Million, Five Hundred and Seventy-Six Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty Seven Naira and Twenty Five Kobo.”

The Health Commissioner said the renovation at that hospital is expected to last thirteen months and the facility, when completed, will be an affiliate of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, to boast training of medical personnel.

To revamp the Dental and Maxillofacial Hospital, he said, “Civil work is to cost One Billion, Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine Million, Three Hundred and Ninety-Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty-Three Naira, Eighty-Seven Kobo only.

“Equipping, installation and furnishing will cost One Billion, Five Hundred and Ninety Million Six Hundred and Seventy-One Thousand and Forty-Seven Naira, Thirty One Kobo.”

The facility when completed will also be affiliated to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital for the training of medical personnel.

On why much talked about Rivers Mother and Child Hospital has not commenced full operations weeks after the inauguration, Chike said an Executive Council Committee has been approved to partner the Bureau for Public/Private Procurement, to see to the seamless take-off of the hospital for maximal public service.

Meanwhile, the State Executive is set to send a bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly for a law to assist judicial officers to own houses on retirement.

Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus explained that the intended bill is in line with the policy of the Wike’s administration to ensure that judicial officers who put in their best to ensure that justice is passed in a very fair manner in the state are well housed after their service years.

“And to entrench this as its policy, a bill has been passed to Rivers State House of Assembly for the enactment of a law. So that, at the end of this administration, subsequent administration that will come will ensure that this policy is not toiled with”, Nsirim noted.