Borromeo Hospital Offers Free Medicare, Pour Encomium On Obi over grant

www.odogwublog.com reports that the Catholic Hospital in Onitsha, Saint Charles Borromeo hospital

Onitsha, Anambra State, yesterday embarked on free medical care and subsidized medical bills as part of its golden jubilee gifts to patients. The free medicare has been on for months.

 The Onitsha Archdiocese commended former governor of Anambra  State, Chief Peter Obi for granting them aid that brought the hospital to world standard.



Briefing newsmen on the preparedness of the celebration yesterday, the Chief Executive of the hospital, Rev. Fr. Ogochukwu Daniel Onuorah, hinted that preparation started on 18 December last year to culminate on Saturday this week with the award of prizes to some distinguished Nigerians.





On how much may have been spent on the free medical care he said, “it runs into millions, I cannot give you the exact figure because it is still being collated from the various units, medical laboratory, to surgery, the CT Scan, to ante natal, and others”



He disclosed further that the grant in aid from former Governor Peter Obi to the hospital assisted immensely to move to the next level which the hospital finds itself today.



“We saw the goodness of the Lord through former governor Obi. With his grant in aid to us we were able to put up ultra modern doctors’ quarters that will be commissioned on Saturday, it also helped us to do a very massive school of nursing building and hostel, three-storey staff quarters, a standard intensive care unit and procured scan machine”, he hinted.



“His help was monumental, when he began we never knew the scope he was going to”, he said.



Meanwhile a medical colloquium took place last Sunday as part of the lined up activities in which medical doctors, nurses and other health personnel were in attendance.



Contributing, one of the speakers, a former Commissioner for Health in the State, Dr. Amobi Ilika stressed the need for all to benefit from the Universal Health Insurance scheme irrespective of the class of people.



“It has to be extended to workers, civil servants and non civil servants, the rich and poor.



The poor man in the village, the pregnant women, all should have health insurance cover. The present administration should sustain the tempo of health care delivery in the State”.



“The robust partnership between the mission and state government should be sustained” Dr. Ilika pleaded.



Describing the celebration as a necessity he said “in mission hospital, workers don’t go on strike. They have a more effective health system”.



“Borromeo hospital fees are considerably low compared with the type of equipment they have, three specialist consultants and they have to be paid. Some who could not pay because of poverty have their bills written off. That is why we talk about Universal Health coverage. The insurance people will pay the bills, it is how it is done overseas”.



“You know 75 percent of the health care in Nigeria is provided by missionary/private hospitals” he revealed.