The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has handed over medical equipment to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospitals, Gwagwalada, to support efforts in fighting the Coronavirus scourge in the Country.
A statement issued by the corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said the equipment were handed over to the Hospital’s management by NNPC Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, at the weekend.
According to him, the equipment included: 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 analyzer and semi-automated chemistry analyzer.
Other items were: alert blood culture analyzer, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) device, pro-express Samsung printer, binocular microscope, table top centrifuge and pipettes.
Obateru quoted Kyari as saying: “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.”
He noted that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, had outlined measures to respond adequately to the outbreak of the disease in Nigeria, with a multi-sectoral team, led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), at the forefront.
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Kyari commended the Health Minister 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, adding that the NNPC was 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,” Kyari further stated.
Also speaking, the Medical Director of NNPC Medical Services Limited, Dr. Mohammed Zango, said the corporation as a responsible organization, 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 University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Professor Bissallah Ekele, while receiving the equipment 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 its 26 years history and assured 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, Yahaya Abdullahi, described the medical equipment donated by NNPC as the largest intervention so far received, calling on other corporate organisations to emulate the National Oil Company.
