Suleiman Anyalewechi, Aba
The Chief Medical Director, CMD, of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) Aba, Prof. Augustine John Chikezie has lauded the resilience and perseverance of the staff of the institution, amidst past years of tribulations and denials, even as he noted that the years of locust have come to an end.
However, the immediate past Chief Executive of the state’s tertiary health institution, Dr Shedreck Offia has warned that the storm may not completely be over unless all stakeholders cultivate the culture of perceiving and caring for public assets like their personal property, as well as coordination in the running of the institution.
The duo spoke separately at a one-day talk shop on sensitization and preparation for the forthcoming accreditation exercise of the institution organized for major stakeholders, at the Hospital on Thursday November 9th 2023.
Prof Chikezie who described the participants as truly committed staff that refused to be subdued and or conquered by the tribulations of the past years, thanked God that at last the stormed has been withered.
Newscrititic.com.ng reports that last year the state’s only tertiary health facility, which also serves as the second breeding ground for medical practitioners east of the Niger, after the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, embarrassingly lost its medical sciences accreditation status.
The development was the climax of several negatively disruptive processes occasioned mainly by equally several months of unpaid staff salaries and other entitlements.
The most pronounced side of the disruptions, were several industrial actions embarked upon by all categories of staffers throughout the better parts of the last two years.
But with the institution set to play host to all the relevant regulatory authorities in few weeks’ time, the CMD has charged the staff to put the events of the past behind them, focusing instead on the task of repositioning the medical facility to once again live up to the goals set for it by its founding fathers.
He noted that all that are needed on the journey towards reclaiming the bruised glory of the institution are commitment and determination on the part of all.
Prof Chikezie said that already the present Abia State government led by Dr Alex Otti, has set the stage for the recovery process by ensuring prompt and regular release of monthly subventions, leading to now regular payments of salaries, adding that the process is now left for all hospital stakeholders to complete.
He expressed optimism that in less than no time, normalcy in all its ramifications would prevail in the system.
Dr Offia, lamented that the institution in the past few years was clothed in a wrong gab, through serial demarketing efforts which inexorably imparted negatively on its image, noting that even in the midst of the difficulties, the management and the institution as a whole still posted some sterling heights.
“The truth is that the institution cannot be considered as having failed, even with all the challenges.
We are trying our best. all the successive managements of ABSUTH all faced challenges, but they persevered even amidst serious challenges.
They operated with the limited resources available. Let us try to protect things put in our care.
