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Ihedioha appoints visitation panels for IMSU, IMSUTH

Panels
By Victor Nwachukwu
Owerri,  Oct. 30, 2019 (NAN) Gov. Emeka Ihedioha of Imo has constituted visitation panels for the Imo State University (IMSU) and the Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), Orlu.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Chibuike Onyeukwu, stated this in a statement issued to newsmen in Owerri on Wednesday.
Onyeukwu said that the appointment was in line with the governor’s resolve to sanitise and reposition tertiary education in the state for greater efficiency.
He said that the IMSU visitation panel, to be headed by Prof. Chinedu Nebo, would have Prof. I.K Ogbonnaya, Prof. Basil Nwosu, Prof. Florence Nduka, Prof. N.F Ukaigwe and Prof. Dominic Chima, as members.
Other members included Dr Chilaka Nwankwo, Mr Chuck Chukwemeka, Dr Chineze Obi and Mr A.C. Duru, as Secretary.
He also said that IMSUTH panel would be headed by Prof. Frank Akpuaka, with Prof. Theodore Okeahialam, Prof. Peter Akah and Lady Stella Achunine, as members.
Others were Dr Meg Opara, Dr Emeka Iroegbu, Mr Basil Ngobiri, Dr Kenneth Iregbu, Mr Ekene Bob-Ekechukwu and Mr Leo Chimezie, as Secretary.
According to Onyeukwu, the panels would, among other things, identify the strength and problems of the institutions and make appropriate recommendations to the Visitor.
They would also ascertain the operations of various departments and units and ascertain the operations of the institutions and investigate students’ complaints.
They are also to conduct internal audits aimed at ascertaining the financial status of the two institutions from 2012, including Internally Generated Revenue, the university micro finance bank and come up with a comprehensive report.
The panels were also saddled with the responsibility of investigating award of contracts in the university and ascertain if due process was adhered to, in line with the Procurement Act 2017.
The statement further stated that the panels would investigate the state of infrastructure, including collapsed or collapsing buildings, in the institutions.
Other responsibilities were to investigate the appointment of the Vice Chancellor to ascertain if it was in conformity with due process.
The panels would also ascertain the welfare of students and investigate allegations of sexual abuse, extortion, issues bordering on allocation of hostels, sub-standard books, handouts, Students Union Government election and illegal payments.
They were mandated to capture other issues not listed on the terms of reference and forward their report to the Visitor not later than one month after assumption of duty.  (NAN)
VIN/USO
(Edited by Sam Oditah)

Call off strike, patients beg Imo resident doctors 

African Doctors for Africa during the medical outreach in Gwagwalada Area Council

Strike

By Victor Nwachukwu

Orlu (Imo) , Oct. 10, 2019 (NAN) Patients at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH) have urged the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) in Imo to call off their four-week strike in the interest of public health.

Many of the patients made the call when News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent visited the hospital in Orlu on Thursday.

One of them, Mr Sunday Okoroji who has been on admission for seven months, said that the prolonged industrial strike was delaying his healing  process.

He begged the state  government to hearken to the demands of the doctors so as to enable them resume work.

Another patient, Chijioke Udorie, (9) who said that he was hit by stray bullet, also called on the doctors and government to come to a common agreement and end the strike, adding that he was going through a lot of pain.

“The doctors said that they were not well paid and that they were tired of working on empty stomach.

“I’m begging my governor to listen to the doctors and pay them in full so that they can treat us,”he appealed.

Also speaking, Mrs Nkeiruka Onyekachi, an orthopedic patient lamented that the prolonged strike had been increasing her bills.

According to her, she is more than half way healed and was expecting to be discharged when the strike commenced.

The Chairman, ARD, IMSUTH Dr Bright Chukwunta said that the strike was a continuation of an earlier strike the doctors had suspended after reaching agreement with Gov. Emeka Ihedioha shortly after he was sworn in.

Chukwunta, who was represented by the Secretary General of the association, Dr Chinonso Muokwe said doctors’ demands include payment of full subvention and provision of necessary equipment in the hospital.

The chairman also identified repair of access roads leading to the hospital as on of the doctors’ demands.

“We had a gentleman agreement with the state governor seven days after he assumed office where he promised to restore our subvention to 100 per cent.

“He also agreed to pay arrears of salaries owed us, and fix access roads to the hospital.

“It is almost five months down the line and nothing has been done in that regard.

“This is why on Sept. 12, we recommenced a previously suspended strike on the ground of breach of agreement on the part of government.

Dr Okoro Izuchukwu, a former secretary general of ARD, IMSUTH also said that the health and well-being of doctors was paramount, adding that doctors could not work on empty stomach.

He also said that most of the patients could not afford private health care bill, noting that government hospitals were more affordable.

“We call on the state government to fulfill its promises because government sponsored health facilities are more affordable and easier to access.

“This is why the welfare of doctors here is paramount as we cannot effectively function on empty stomach,”he said.(NAN)

VIN/DUA

Edited by Dada Ahmed