Enugu Shuts 10 Private Hospitals

The Enugu State government has shut down 10
privately owned hospitals in the state for declining standards, inadequacy of
health personnel and use of obsolete and non-functional equipments.

The State Commissioner for Information, Mr.
Chuks Ugwoke who disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the end of the
State Executive Council Meeting also stated that the state Government had also
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a North American company, San
Carlos of Mexico for the establishment of Pineapple fruit juice processing
factory in the state.

He gave the names of the clinics closed by
the task force set up by the State Ministry of Health to monitor the standard
of practice by private health facilities in the state as Moonlight Clinic 81
Agbani Road, Enugu, Chief Dennis Okafor Memorial Hospital and Maternity Ogbete
Avenue off Kings Way Road, Zirank Hospital and Maternity 167 Nike Road Abakpa
Nike and Mount Olive Specialist Hospital, Abakpa Nike, Enugu.

Others are Royal Diagnostic Centre 200
Agbani Road Awkunanaw, Spring of Life Specialist Hospital 106 Agbani Road,
Merit Laboratory 151 Nike Road Abakpa Nike, Somadina Hospital 146 Nike Road
Abakpa Nike and Divine Dividend Medical Centre No 5 Udo Club Road Gariki
Awkunanaw, Enugu.

According to him, the exercise is ongoing
and will cover more than 450 registered private health facilities in local
government areas of the state to ensure that their owners comply with the
standard set up by government and enable those seeking health care services get
the best from the institutions.

He, therefore, warned that strict sanction
would be imposed on offenders who reopen their clinics without satisfying the
laid down requirements.

The fruit juice project, the Commissioner
further disclosed would be executed by the state government and the North
America Company at 40 and 60 percent ratio, adding that already the State
Executive Council has approved the sum of over N965,000 representing its 40
percent contribution for the purchase of agricultural and construction
equipment for the take off of the pineapple project.

Mr. Ugwoke made it clear that the North
American company would as well contribute 60 percent of the sum which would
take care of the purchase of bulldozer, loaders vibro compacter, tractors,
harrows and other farming equipment for the project.

The commissioner said that the factory when
established would create jobs and usher in well organised farming system in the
state, pointing out that the council also gave approval for the development of
raw surface water supply from Attavu River in Umueze Awkunanaw in Nkanu West
Local Government Area by the State Ministry of Environment and Korean firm.

Under the programme, he went on, the pilot
project which would be replicated in the 17 local government areas of the sate
will involve collecting water from an existing river and piping it to treatment
facility for advanced water treatment.

The project when completed, the
commissioner added, would help satisfy water demand of the people, improve
hygienic and environmental health through safe drinking water, and reduce water
borne diseases in the state.