RSUTH: Wike Preparing Rivers For Medical Tourism – Akawor

The Sole Administrator of Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, and the Director General of Governor Wike Campaign Organisation, Amb. Desmond Akawor, has said that the efforts made by Governor Nyesom Wike in establishing Rivers State University Teaching Hospital is to prepare the state for medical tourism.
He described the medical school and the Mother and Child Hospital Rumuomasi as Governor Wike’s flagship, and considered as his babies like other projects he embarked upon.
Akawor who made this known while speaking to aviation correspondents on his return from Abuja on Monday, noted that only the University of Port Harcourt before now had medical school, for which about four Rivers indigenes had opportunity to qualify as doctors every year
According to him, the four and few others that might qualify from outside was not enough for the state with 23 local government areas, which he said was unacceptable to the governor.
“Having our own medical school is keeping Rivers State ready for the medical tourism which the governor wants. In the next five to six years, you will see that every local government medical centres will have doctors.
“ That will draw health care services closer to the people and that is clearly the service and the essence of governance and the medical school is on board.
“Since the creation of Rivers State since 1967, and hearing that Rivers State as vibrant as it is with its riches, does not have a medical school is not acceptable, and hearing such a thing is like a sacrilege, and the governor has said he can not accept it.
“ Go to the old Braithwaite Memorial Hospital which is the teaching hospital and see radiographic section and see modern sophisticated equipment. I do not know where you can see that in this country”, Akawor said.
The Greater Port Harcourt boss also commended the governor for three flyovers now under construction with 70% cost paid already, describing it as three gigantic projects at the same time, which he has not heard any where in Nigeria.
According to him, the governor is using his second tenure in office as if he had no first tenure for the purpose of project delivery, and expressed confidence that he will complete all the projects he embarked upon.

By: Corlins Walter