v Wants gov. to save institution now
v Bemoans lack of health facilities in Orlu zone
By Martin Opara
Orlu Progressive Assembly, OPA, a fledging socio-cultural group, in Orlu zone, comprising technocrats, professionals, business moguls and political giants, after a virtual meeting held over the weekend, where they x-rayed challenges faced by Orlu people, emphatically condemned the deplorable state of infrastructure at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), Orlu which is currently threatening the existence of the facility as a Teaching Hospital.They also frowned at the absence of Government owned health facilities in Orlu zone.
This is coming barely two weeks after the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, hinted on the possible withdrawal of total accreditation, if urgent steps are not taken to address some of the challenges facing the institution and rectify the numerous anomalies.
The group, in a release signed by the National President, Hon. Chris Oguike, a United States of America based philanthropist and former senatorial aspirant on the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), in the 2019 election and the publicity secretary, Hon. Ifeanyi Olumba, an erstwhile Orlu local government area chairman drew the attention of the Governor to the deplorable state of the institution and urged him to, as a matter of urgency, expediate action to save the institution from total collapse.
The group regretted that the health facility that was built to international standard and equipped with state of the art facilities has lost it’s glory as a result of abandonment by successive administrations in the state, that played to the gallery, without genuine concern and commitment to the health and well being of the people.
“It is unfortunate and disheartening that IMSUTH which is the only comprehensive government health facility in Orlu zone, that was conceived and envisioned to offer specialist medical services to patients from far and near, in addition to training and retraining medical personnel, has become a shadow of itself, to the extent that, it has lost accreditation for new intake of students, since 2017 and is at the verge of losing total accreditation in January next year if government and all concerned, fail to do the needful. If this eventually happens, our children, some of who have already spent between nine and ten years for six year courses and are not even sure of when their pitiable ordeal will end, will be frustrated and traumatized”.
“We celebrate our sons and daughters when they excel in their academic pursuit in other states that created enabling environment for academic excellence by providing necessary facilities and resources without taking a cue from them”.
The group, described the deplorable state of affairs at IMSUTH, as the height of insensitivity, inadvertently aimed at dashing the hope of parents who have invested and continued to invest in their children.
The release further urged the Senator Hope Uzodinma government to see IMSUTH as a priority project, that if well managed will boost the internally generated revenue (IGR) base of the state, aside encouraging the students who are determined to be useful to themselves, their parents and society, to actualize their noble dreams and aspirations. “Anything short of this, amounts to indirectly encouraging the shoulders we will lean on tomorrow, in the twilight of our lives to derail and look in the way of “yahoo yahoo”, kidnapping, banditry and other vices”.
They implored Imolites at home and in the Diaspora to prevail on the state government to fast track the renovation, upgrading and provision of necessary facilities at the Imo State Teaching Hospital, Orlu which is the pride of Imo people, if not, the affected students and generations unborn will not forgive us, if it eventually loses accreditation in January next year as speculated.
Some of the issues they want the government to address include, provision of good road network in and around the facility, addressing the dilapidated equipment, infrastructure, improved staff welfare, to boost morale, among others.
