As part of measures to
improve healthcare delivery in Rivers State, the State Government has directed the state Ministry of Works to rehabilitate the access road to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).
The state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, gave the directive when he played host to the management board of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), and assured of  his administration’s  support to enable the institution deliver quality healthcare services  to the people of the state.
He directed the ministries of Works and Housing to liaise with the hospital to work towards the rehabilitation of its access road and the quarters for the house men in the health facility.
The governor also directed the state commissioner for health to study the 2010 report prepared  by the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the state Ministry of Health on steps to be taken to improve  health collaboration between the government and the institution in the state.
He pointed  out that  health  remains  critical  to  the  state government, hence it introduced the intervention  scheme that will empower private hospitals  to improve health  care services  to the people.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has explained  that the on-going demolition of criminal hideouts in the state was aimed at improving  the  security of lives and property, and not to displace the residents of affected shanties.
The  governor  further stated that no government will fold its  arms while criminals terrorise residents from known hideouts.
Speaking when he received  the management of the University of Port  Harcourt Teaching Hospital at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike said his administration will always take the necessary legal steps to sustain and improve the  relative  peace being enjoyed in the state.
He said: “Our security  measures  are not targeted at any group. But we are interested in the security  of  lives and property, which  remains paramount. No right thinking government  will fold its hands and allow criminals to torment residents and drive away investors”.
The governor  added that the government was ensuring  that the human rights of the people  are not violated,  but noted that the security  of  the  vast majority  of  Rivers people must be paramount.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Professor Aaron Ojule, had said that the hospital, as the foremost tertiary  health  institution in the state, has been working  hard to deploy her skills in tackling the health challenges  in the state.
He said: “This visit is to consolidate with your administration those areas of mutual cooperation with regard to healthcare delivery, while exploring those that offer new opportunities and prospects for improved healthcare delivery for the good people of Rivers State”.