Effective health care delivery has been identified as a major index of good governance in any given democracy. In recognition of this fact and in the spirit of delivering democracy dividends to the citizenry, the Akwa Ibom State Government has assured the people of the state of effective health care delivery services in the various government owned hospitals in the state.

The state commissioner of health, Dr. Louisa stated this recently in Uyo when the original landlords of the Immanuel General Hospital Eket paid a courtesy call on her in her office. The commissioner said that government has received various reports about the non-chalant attitudes of workers in the hospitals and was working hard to ensure that all the anomalies are corrected.

She drew the attention of the team led by Chief Raphael Oduok to the face lift given the hospital by the present administration, saying that comparing this to the previous administrations in the state, the Godswill Akpabio-led administration has provide basic infrastructures for its citizenry. The commissioner stressed that government will not fold its hands and see the inefficient management of such facility to the detriment of people, and therefore urged them to report all cases of poor attention by hospital workers to government for action.

The commissioner pointed out that apart from the Immanuel General Hospital Eket, government has also intervened in other facilities, some of which are the Iquita General Hospital and the Methodist Hospital, Ituk Mbang, located in Oron and Uruan Local Government Areas respectively.

Earlier, the leader of the team, Chief Rapheal Odouk, in his address presented on behalf of the successors of the original landlords of the land which Immanuel General Hospital situates, lauded Governor Akpabio for the monumental infrastructural renewal programmes undertaken by his administration in the 59 year old institution.

The team leader noted that the massive face lift given to the hospital has effectively positioned it for the primary function of health care delivery to the people after several years of infrastructural decay and neglect by previous administrations in the state. He also noted with satisfaction the changing fortunes in all public health institutions in the state which hitherto had only few consultants in the entire public service of the state health sector with about 100 doctors for over 4million people.

He further acknowledged the capacity building programmes for health personnel to enhance their knowledge of modern health techniques in areas such e-medicine, while new personnel are also being employed. He maintained that his group is in recognition of Akpabio’s unfeigned commitment to adding value to the lives of the people through the positive engagement of development programmes that enhance their living conditions.

Chief Oduok pledged the unalloyed support of the team to the present administration and congratulated Dr. Ukpeh on her appointment as commissioner of health in the state.

Speaking, the secretary of the group, Ambassador Ime Ebitu said the repositioning of Immanuel General Hospital has brought so many developments to the hospital. He recalled the situation in the past where corpses were normally staked on the wall, adding that such situations is no more recorded after the repositioning of the health institution.

Ambassador Ebitu drew the attention of the commissioner to the nonchalant attitudes of workers in charge towards patients and said that such things could render the facility meaningless even when government has spent so much on the hospital’s present state. He however commended the state government for the giant steps taken to improve the health conditions of the masses through provision of several health items.