Nation
NLNG Inaugurates OB-GY Ward Project In LUTH
The Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited on Monday inaugurated an Obstetrics & Gynaecology Ward at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos.
The Tide source reports that the project is part of Phase 1 projects in NLNG’s multi billion naira Hospital Support Programme (NLNG HSP) in the states of Lagos, Kano, Bayelsa and Cross River.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Managing Director, NLNG, Dr Phillip Mshelbila, said the next sets of inaugurations would be an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Yenagoa.
“Also, an Occupational Therapy and Neuromodulation Rehabilitation Centre at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano; and a Neurosurgical and Stroke Centre at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar.
“The commissioning of projects began in 2022 with the opening of a Maternity Centre at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada and a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
“These teaching hospitals were selected in the first phase. The programme targets 12 hospitals in total from the six geographical zones in the country.
“The NLNG Hospital Support Programme (HSP) is NLNG’s national Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative which aims to boost the healthcare delivery system in 12 Federal University Teaching Hospitals cutting across the six geopolitical zones in the country.
“The programme started in 2022,” he said.
Mshelbila, who was represented by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Andy Odeh, said the goal of the project was to support the provision of quality medical care for Nigerians.
This would be through the improvement of tertiary healthcare delivery system in the country with attendant impacts on medical research and retention of in-country medical expertise.
He said the company had helped in reshaping the country’s health sector for a better and more responsive system on the road to making it a destination for world-class healthcare delivery.
He, therefore, called on LUTH’s management to ensure that the facilities were put to practical use for patients and training purposes.
In his remarks, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, stated that NLNG had proven to be a reliable partner in the sustainable development of the healthcare system in the country.
Ehanire, who was represented by the Minister of State for Health, Ekumankama Joseph Nkama, thanked the initiators of the project noting that it would go a long way to better the lot of Nigerians.
The source also reports that the newly commissioned LUTH project entailed the complete renovation and upgrade of the Obstetrics & Gynaecology (Ward C) Block, a four-storey building.
This is with the provision of 120 beds to serve the prenatal and postnatal services.
Other facilities include a waiting room, nurses stations, private wards, consulting rooms, radiation room, and doctors and nurses call rooms, among other facilities.
Earlier, Alhaji Isa Sali, Board Chairman, LUTH, said that the renovation and equipping of the ward was sponsored by the NLNG as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
“It was also as a mark of appreciation with recent salutary developments in the hospital”.
According to Sali, the project execution through the CSR assumes a new dimension in public service delivery not only for visibility purposes but more importantly as a means of paying back to society.
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has set up new command posts in Kebbi and Sokoto States to boost staff performance, security and better protect critical national infrastructure in the states.
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who commissioned the two commands, said Federal Government would not relent in ensuring the protection of citizens at all times by providing the necessary supports, and logistics needed to maintain the current tempo of development to ensure effective discharge of the Corps core mandates
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, Aregbesola stated that the Federal Government was dedicated to continuously support the Corps to enhance performance and boost national security.
According to a statement signed by the agency’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Olusola Odumosu, the minister also tasked personnel in the two states to live up to the mandate of the agency and exhibit the highest level of discipline in their conduct.
He further charged the personnel to “abstain from rancor and unnecessary rivalry and ensure effective synergy with military and all other law enforcement agencies”.
Aregbesola commended the leadership of the Corps for the tremendous transformation witnessed within the last two years as he further attributed it to the doggedness, determination, pragmatic approach and readiness of personnel to impact positively on the nation’s security.
Present at the event were governors of the two states; Atiku Bagudu of and Aminu Tambuwal who were both represented.
The Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Lagos State Chapter, in collaboration with FH1360/Alive and Thrive Project hosted an interactive media round table aimed at promoting maternal, infant and young child nutrition, with an intervention of reducing the total number of anemia and all deficiencies related to mother and child.
Chairperson, NAWOJ, Lagos State, Adeola Ekine, said the initiative was focused on improved reporting of maternal nutrition coverage in journalism.
She added that the annual event provides insight on illnesses affecting children and mothers and their possible solutions
The Lagos State team Lead, Alive and Thrive, Olawunmi Ajayi, who spoke extensively on Maternal, Infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN), noted that Nigeria loses about 2313 children daily translating to 844,321, children death annually, half of which are due to malnutrition.
“You don’t have to spend a lot on trying to impress people about your feeding habit you just have to make sure you are providing and feeding a well-balanced diet.
The Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW) has advised President Bola Tinubu to appoint a qualified social worker as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
This is contained in a congratulatory message signed by its Publicity Secretary, Musliudeen Adebayo, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan yesterday.
The Tide source reports that NASoW, the umbrella body of social workers in the country was founded in 1975.
The President of NASow, Alhaji Mashood Mustapha, congratulated Tinubu on his swearing-in ceremony as the 16th President of Nigeria.
Mustapha said that the appointment of a social worker who had the requisite knowledge and skills to paddle the affairs of the ministry would promote the humanitarian agenda.
He said that appointing a NASoW member as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development was in the interest of the nation.
Mustapha said that the ministry had core mandate to promote social work and quality social services delivery in the country.
He said that the association was ready and fully prepared to work with the new administration to achieve its aim in all areas of human development.
He said that the call for the appointment was as a result of the ministry’s strategic importance to the welfare of citizens, which is the main goal of this administration.
The NASoW president said that one of the association’s achievements during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari was the signing of the Nigerian Council for Social Work (NCSW) Establishment Act 2022.
Mustapha encouraged Tinubu to set another record by appointing a qualified social worker as minister for humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development.
He said that the association was anxiously waiting for the time when NCSW would be constituted.
“We are using this medium to congratulate our new President Bola Tinubu on his emergence as the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We appeal to him to appoint a social worker as the minster for humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development. This is our ministry; it is the main ministry for social workers
“We advise the president to put a round peg in a round hole for the betterment of the country,” he said.
Mustapha enjoined the president to appoint a minister, who had the required knowledge of social work as they expected the minister to constitute the NCWS board as soon as possible.
“The Nigerian Council for Social Work (Establishment) Act 2022 has been gazetted. Our law has become an Act of Parliament.
“This implies that a lot of good things are coming for the good people of Nigeria. The council is yet to be constituted.
“When this is done, it will help to give more recognition to social work practice in Nigeria,” he said.
He said that the establishment of NCSW would create job opportunities and enabling environment for social workers to provide the much desired quality social services to the people.
Mustapha said that it would also reduce migration of social workers to other countries in quest for prosperity.