Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, yesterday, commissioned the newly-built 3,000,00 litres of medical oxygen plant at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka.
Said to be the biggest oxygen plant in the South East, the facility, according to Governor Obiano, would change the narrative of the state health sector.
The governor, who was accompanied to the commissioning by his wife, Ebelechukwu said he has so much interest in the health sector and had ensured that the hinterland were reached with healthcare services.
“Today, we are opening a new chapter in our growing health services delivery. Health is wealth and without health, nobody can do anything. Because of my believe in healthcare delivery, I made it my priority.
“Under my watch, the teaching hospital here met all that is required for the graduation of medical doctors. We are also working hard with our primary healthcare services, because it is a first point of call in health care.
“We have about 500 primary healthcare centres in the state and they all have well equipped medical ambulances. We have done a lot to reach hinterland with over eight water ambulances and have upgraded some hospitals in the state.”
Obiano said services of the plant would be made available to every government health facility, with each primary health centre getting two free cylinders.
He said: “We are going to give two cylinders to every primary healthcare delivery centre in the state. The first set is free and subsequent ones they will pay.
Commissioner for Health, Vincent Okpala, told newsmen the medical oxygen plant has the capacity to produce 3,000,000 litres per annum about 76,000 cylinder of 40 litres.
“The plant has the capacity to produce 208 cylinder of 40 liters every day, about 3,000,000 in a year. It has low maintenance cost and it is the first in the country built by any state government,” Okpala said.