…builds helipad to enhance transportation
Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
In a bid to reduce the rate of death from renal failures among Nigerians, the multi system Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti (ABUTH), has purchased 16 new dialysis machines to be deployed for treatment of cases.
The ABUTH said the machines were bought to strengthen the treatment of kidney diseases and prevent dispatch of Nigerians to early grave.
Due to the deplorable state of the roads across the country and with their students drawn from the 36 states of the nation, ABUTH has built a helipad that is operational to ease transportation to the facility and the entire university community.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, who addressed journalists in Ado-Ekiti, on Friday, said the dialysis treatment will be made affordable for all Nigerians in the multi system hospital.
“The university is worried about the increasing rate of renal failure among Nigerians. Many had undergone treatment here. As of now, three persons are undergoing treatment at ABUTH dialysis centre.
“The most important thing to us is that, we have equipment and personnel and the cost is also made affordable to our people.
“We have partnership with foreign health institutions like Aster in Dubai and other health institutions in India and China. This was made possible because of our commitment to improved healthcare delivery.
“If you check the records, I don’t think there was any hospital that has 16 dialysis machines in this country, I am not aware of any teaching hospital that has that in Nigeria.”
She said the helipad was built owing to deplorable conditions of roads, so that people can have access to the facility.
“To move from Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the nation to Ekiti State has become a serious problem and we want all Nigerians to enjoy this facility. We have put in place a functional helipad and many have taken off there and landed. It will be formally commissioned soon.”
The Vice Chancellor added that a blood bank facility has also been provided in the hospital to aid treatment of patients.
She said the university will soon provide an army security post at the hospital to provide security for experts, patients and students.
“You know the place of security in Nigeria. Before, we can travel at night, but the issue of insecurity had affected that. Security has become a threat and we are putting up a military outpost close to the hospital to secure the facility and the university community”, she said.
