By Monsurudeen Olowoopejo
As part of concerted efforts to flatten coronavirus curve, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has handed over medical equipment to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospitals in Gwagwalada, to aid staff in tackling the scourge that has spread across the state.
Some of the equipment handed over by NNPC to the medical outfit includes an oxygen generating plant; one brand new ambulance, six NNPC operational ambulance vehicles, one big ventilator, one small ventilator, patient monitor, hospital beds, bedside cupboards, overtop tables, air conditioners, fully automated 5-part hematology analyzer and semi-automated chemistry analyzer.
Other items handed over by the NNPC to the institution were blood alert culture analyzer, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) device, pro-express Samsung printer, binocular microscope, tabletop centrifuge, and pipettes.
At the handing over ceremony of the equipment to the hospital medical officials, Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, stressed that the government alone cannot end the scourge confronting the country, saying, countries with stronger health systems are struggling to contain the pandemic.
Kyari said: “In light of this, the Oil and Gas Industry is collaborating to strengthen Nigeria’s response to the pandemic. These efforts, coordinated by the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, will support Government agencies in providing urgently needed resources both human and materials required to curb this pandemic”.
The NNPC boss, in a statement on Sunday by Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, stated that the Federal Ministry of Health had mapped out measures to curtail the disease in Nigeria, assuring that a multi-sectoral team, led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), was at the forefront of the effort.
While commending Minister of Health and the entire Ministry, the NCDC, the Public Health Department (PHD) of FCT, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and the entire medical community in the Country for their efforts in combating the virus, Kyari stressed that NNPC remained grateful for their dedication in safeguarding the lives of Nigerians since the disease broke out in the country.
He, however, appealed to individuals and corporate organisations to collaborate with the Federal and State Governments to ensure Nigeria defeats the virus.
Also, the Medical Director of NNPC Medical Services Limited, Dr. Mohammed Zango, explained that the donation was made to ensure the isolation center in Abuja become more effective in delivering on its mandate.
He observed that the teaching hospital had never been given such a huge and generous support in the 26 years history of its establishment, assuring that the equipment would be judiciously used.
Receiving the donation, Director-General of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, who was represented by Director of Administration of the NCDC, Yahaya Abdullahi, described the medical equipment as the largest intervention so far received by the agency.
Ihekweazu, however, urged corporate organisations to toe the line of NNPC and donate medical equipment towards ending the scourge in Nigeria.
