NNPC/SEPLAT JV donates permanent emergency, infectious diseases hospital to Imo

By Ambrose Nnaji

As part of efforts to impact on host states, communities, SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company Plc under the support of its joint venture partnership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has commenced the construction of a Permanent 150-200 Bed Emergency and Infectious Diseases Hospital at Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH) Orlu, Imo State.

The facility is one of the 12 hospitals which the NNPC intends to construct across the six geo-political zones in the country. The NNPC in collaboration with its partners embarked on this initiative to strengthen the country’s national healthcare delivery facilities in combating the ravaging Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic sustainably.

The Ground breaking kicks off construction of the Emergency & Infectious Diseases medical facility that is expected to support the state’s efforts in its fight against the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a Centre for the treatment of all forms of infectious diseases.

The State provided a piece of land at the state university teaching hospital for the construction of the medical infrastructure to aid its fight against the novel Coronavirus pandemic, which is currently ravaging the world, with Nigeria and Imo State also impacted.

Kyari

According to the Group Managing Director (GMD), NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, who laid the foundation for the multi-million Naira project on Saturday in Orlu, the project is billed to be completed in the shortest possible time.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipire Sylva, in his address, lauded the contributions of all stakeholders while noting that strengthening the healthcare infrastructure became inevitable and expedient in the foreground of the far-reaching impacts of the Covid-19 on the Nigerian economy and human lives

Chairman of SEPLAT, Dr. ABC Orjiako, in his address said it was anticipated that the hospital, which should be completed soon would provide succour to the people of the state as he implored for the wellbeing of the good people of the state.

Orjiako

According to him, the SEPLAT Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) philosophy centers on proactively improving the wellbeing of citizens of its Host States/Communities of operation. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, SEPLAT had deployed its CSR programmes: the Eye Can See programme, a health programme which provides premium eyecare, including but not limited to the provision of surgery for patients with cataract eye impairment; Safe Motherhood a health programme aimed to provide prenatal care for pregnant women and curb maternal fatality; and provision of Scholarship for Students in tertiary education.

Seplat, Anoh gas investment

The SEPLAT Chairman added that the NNPC/Seplat JV had at the onset of the outbreak of the pandemic donated medical items to the Imo State Government in support of the State’s efforts to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. As a responsible and responsive corporate organization, “SEPLAT also have helped to strengthen supplies in the hospitals; we have also made sure that the communities received certain palliatives with respect to food security during this difficult period; in addition to supplying them with essential sanitation and hygiene materials,” he said

SEPLAT’s significant operations in Imo State include the $700m ANOH gas project managed by AGPC a company jointly owned by SEPLAT and the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, will continue to provide tremendous benefits to Imo State and its people, according to Dr. Orjiako.

Governor of the state, Senator Hope Uzodinma, lauded the choice of Imo State as one of the States to donate the Permanent 150-200 Bed Emergency and Infectious Diseases Medical Centre.

He urged the NNPC / SEPLAT JV to continue the company’s life-impacting CSR programmes and projects while assuring them support of the state and goodwill in its efforts to meaningfully touch more lives and better the economy.