Gbenro Adesina
As part of concerted efforts to combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has donated medical equipment to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospitals in Gwagwalada, the Federal Capital Territory.
A release by the corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr Kennie Obateru, at the weekend listed the equipment handed over to the Teaching Hospital by NNPC Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, to include: an oxygen generating plant; one brand new ambulance, six NNPC operational ambulance vehicles, one big ventilator, one small ventilator, patient monitor, hospital beds, bedside cupboards, overtop tables, air conditioners, fully automated 5-part hematology analyser, semi-automated chemistry analyser, alert blood culture analyzer, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) device, pro-express Samsung printer, binocular microscope, table top centrifuge and pipettes.
“Government cannot do this alone. Health systems, the world over, are getting overwhelmed. Countries with stronger health systems are struggling to contain the pandemic. In light of this, the Oil and Gas Industry is collaborating to strengthen Nigeria’s response to the pandemic. These efforts, coordinated by the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, will support Government agencies in providing urgently needed resources both human and materials required to curb this pandemic,” Mallam Kyari averred.
He added that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, had mapped out measures to respond adequately to the outbreak of the disease in Nigeria, saying a multi-sectoral team, led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), was at the forefront of the effort.
Mallam Kyari commended the Honourable Minister of Health and the entire Ministry, the NCDC, the Public Health Department (PHD) of FCT, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and the entire medical community in the Country for their efforts in combating the virus, stressing that the NNPC remained grateful for their dedication in safeguarding the lives of Nigerians.
“It is obvious that to fight this menace, we all have to collaborate to ensure that Nigeria defeats this virus,” Mallam Kyari appealed.
On his part, the Medical Director of NNPC Medical Services Limited, Dr Mohammed Zango, said the corporation as a responsible organisation was making the donation to meet the urgent medical needs of the isolation centre in Abuja and to make the centre more effective in delivering on its mandate.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the teaching hospital, Professor Bissallah Ekele, commended the NNPC for rising up to the occasion by supplying the essential medical equipment to the hospital, noting that the gesture would go a long way in helping the hospital to save lives.
He observed that the teaching hospital had never been given such a huge and generous support in the 26 years history of its establishment, assuring that the equipment would be judiciously used.
Responding on behalf of the Director General of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director of Administration of the NCDC, Alh. Yahaya Abdullahi, described the medical equipment donated by NNPC as the largest intervention so far received, even as he called on other corporate organisations to emulate the National Oil Company.
