The Senate Committee on Health, responsible for oversight of secondary and tertiary hospitals, led by Chairman Senator Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, has underscored the critical need for the Federal Government to alleviate the burden of electricity generation faced by tertiary healthcare institutions such as the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa. This call for intervention came during the Committee’s oversight visit to assess the hospitals’ performance, particularly their use of the 2023 appropriation budget, and to evaluate both completed and ongoing projects.
During the visit, the Chief Medical Director of UPTH, Prof. Henry Ugboma, provided an in-depth account of the hospital’s achievements under the 2023 budget. However, he stressed that one of the hospital’s biggest challenges is the high cost of power generation. A significant portion of UPTH’s budget is consumed by electricity expenses, which is essential for sustaining hospital operations. Prof. Ugboma appealed to the Federal Government for urgent intervention, requesting support to ease this burden. Additionally, he called for a waiver on employment restrictions, highlighting the alarming emigration of healthcare workers, which has left UPTH grappling with a shortage of skilled staff.
Dr.James Omietimi, the Medical Director of FMC Yenagoa, echoed Prof. Ugboma’s concerns, emphasizing that energy costs pose a major strain on their budget as well. He pointed out the shared need for government action to reduce these costs and called for similar employment waivers, stressing the detrimental effect of workforce shortages on the quality of healthcare services.
The Committee, led by Senator Banigo, later toured the hospital to inspect both completed and ongoing projects. They expressed satisfaction with the progress made by UPTH in improving its infrastructure and the quality of care delivered to patients. Senator Banigo commended the hospital’s leadership for their prudent use of the 2023 budget and highlighted the critical importance of maintaining high standards in tertiary healthcare institutions.
In response, the Senate Committee pledged its continued support to UPTH, urging further investments in infrastructure and staff training to maintain the hospital’s status as a healthcare leader. Senator Banigo assured the management that the findings from their visit would be presented to the National Assembly, advocating for increased resources and heightened attention to the healthcare sector, particularly in the Niger Delta region.
The UPTH management expressed deep appreciation for the Committee’s visit and its unwavering support. They reiterated their commitment to upholding high standards of medical services, continually improving patient care, and fostering collaboration with other healthcare institutions across the country.
This oversight visit not only reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing the challenges faced by tertiary healthcare institutions but also laid the groundwork for future improvements aimed at enhancing the quality of healthcare delivery nationwide.
