Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Prof. Chris Bode, has urged cooperate organisations and individuals to invest more in healthcare as the government alone cannot muster the required resources.
Speaking during the commissioning and handover of the newly rehabilitated Ward-A building at the LUTH, Bode noted that the hospital’s experience with Airtel Nigeria in the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, further justified the need for partnership and support from corporate organisations and individuals.
“At the height of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos, the fear of a possible upsurge requiring more bed spaces for admissions was real. Airtel Nigeria rose to the occasion, offering to help LUTH rehabilitate Block A to operationalise another 111-bed capacity at a cost of over N200 million.
“The company also gave 81 telephone lines to LUTH’s Psychosocial and Emotional Support Group which reached out to patients and their families following diagnosis and in the course of treating over 20,000 patients in Lagos.
“Airtel Nigeria provided airtime for three months on each of these phone lines when we needed them the most,” Bode applauded.
The CMD further commended the management of Airtel Nigeria saying the LUTH would continue to be a good example in the effectiveness of the company’s CSR in revamping healthcare services.
“This is evidenced in the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre which is equipped with a state-of-the-art medical facility, Olusola Dada Dialysis Centre and now Ward-A building by Airtel,” listed.
Also, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, praised Airtel for its consistent investments in the health sector and for partnering with the government as well as relevant institutions to deepen access to quality and affordable healthcare in Nigeria.
He said, “The project will engender access to improved medical care for Nigerians and will further increase the capacity of LUTH to deliver on its performance objectives, noting that Airtel’s efforts align with the Federal Government’s Next Level modernization agenda for Teaching hospitals to improve quality of care for Nigerians.
“I would like to extend the appreciation of the Government to Airtel Nigeria for this excellent project, which, I am sure will improve the quality of medical care in LUTH.”
However, the Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Africa PLC, said the inauguration of the renovated facility bears eloquent testimony to Airtel’s drive to make a positive impact through sustainability, noting that the first pillar of Airtel’s newly unveiled Sustainability programme is to ensure inclusion leveraging on world-class infrastructure as well as connectivity.
Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Chemmenkotil Surendran, noted that Airtel was committed to transforming lives and fulfilling its promises.