We spend 40 per cent of our revenue on electricity bills – Teaching hospital

The Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Emem Bassey, says the federal healthcare facility spends 40 per cent of its total revenue on settling electricity bills.

Mr Bassey, a professor, said the hospital has a huge backlog of debts to pay to its diesel suppliers.

“About 40 per cent of our total revenue right now goes to power. Almost all the money we make we have to pay power bills,” said Mr Bassey on Friday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Mr Bassey, a former health commissioner in the state, stated this in his remark at the commissioning of the hospital’s Antenatal Complex. The complex is named after the late Akwa Ibom First Lady, Patience Eno.

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, and the Coordinator of the Office of the Akwa Ibom First Lady, Helen Obareki, graced the event on Valentine’s Day.

Reeling out other challenges facing the tertiary health institution, Mr Bassey said the hospital is battling an infrastructure deficit and that the surgical department is scattered all over the premises because the hospital does not have a surgical theatre complex.

“Many of our buildings are old and need renovation. That is what I do these days: renovation. We don’t have accommodation for resident doctors, interns and students.

“We also do not have sufficient ambulances and vehicles for our operations and we are owing a huge backlog as diesel debts.”

Revealing patients’ statistics, Mr Bassey said the facility attends to an average of 800 patients daily and added that its data showed over 180,000 patients were attended to last year.

He commended Governor Eno for revamping primary healthcare, state health insurance, and the soon-to-be-launched emergency ambulance service in the state.

Best Valentine’s gift – Gov Eno

Speaking further, Mr Bassey told Governor Eno, “Today, we are here to celebrate and immortalise a virtuous woman who was passionate about the less privileged and greatly impacted the lives of many in her capacity as a mother and First Lady of the State.

“When we received the sad news of the demise of your dear wife, the management of this hospital unanimously agreed to name this edifice, which was then under construction, after her,” Mr Bassey said.

The former First Lady, Patience, died of an undisclosed illness last year.

In his remark at the event, Mr Eno thanked the hospital management for naming the Antenatal Complex after his late wife and described it as his best Valentine’s gift.

“There couldn’t have been a better Valentine’s gift for me, and this is indeed a Valentine’s gift that I appreciate and will remain indelible in my heart.

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“I have carefully stayed away from naming any government facility or project after my beloved wife even though she merits it.

Mr Eno said the antenatal complex complements his administration’s passion and commitment to reducing infant mortality and ensuring pregnant mothers are exposed to the best antenatal care possible.

Mr Eno said the state government was working very hard to position Ibom Multi-specialty Hospital to a standard that will drive medical tourism in the state.

“We are opening a medical corridor with a medical village. We are building a complete mother-and-child hospital, doctor’s quarters and facilities that will promote medical health in the state.”

He assured the hospital of continuous collaboration with the state government and directed his physician to release two ambulances to the hospital.

Additionally, he announced a donation of N200 million to support the hospital.