By Ikenna Nwokedi
The Bill for an Act to provide the legal framework to establish the proposed Federal Medical Centre Uli, Anambra State sponsored by the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial zone and Candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) for the upcoming 2023 General Elections, Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah on Wednesday, 18th January 2023, scaled second reading on the floor of the Nigerian Senate.
Senator Ubah emphasized that the bill which will eventually become an act for the establishment of the Federal Medical Centre, Uli is aimed at supporting and providing an enabling environment for effective medical services in Nigeria as well as updating medical findings and periodic reaearch.
The lawmaker also said that the medical facility will provide medical trainings for professionals and intending future medical practitioners.
Senator Ubah highlighted services to be provided at the proposed ultra modern medical facility in medical fields of Neuro-surgery, Cardiology, Urology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Radiotherapy, Ear Nose and Throat Treatment (ENT), Obstetrics and Gynacology, Psychiatry, Nuclear Medicine and other fields of Medicine that may be required by Anambra South Senatorial zone and by extension Anambra State and Nigerian at large.
The lawmaker further disclosed that the Bill was in response to the cries of his constituents, women and children who are in dare need of well-equipped healthcare centres and in furtherance bridging the gap at primary and secondary healthcare levels for accessibility to medical facilities, affordability of Medicare and in some cases inadequate medical personnel.
In his response, the Senate President Ahmed Lawan described the Bill as an important one that will accelerate healthcare provision in the land, he commended Ubah for his exploits and initiatives towards a very important and fundamental sector of the nation.
According to information from the red chambers, January 31st, 2023, has been fixed for public hearing on the Bill with the Senate expected to conduct also a public hearing on Senator Ubah’s Bill for the establishment of Federal Orthopaedic Hospital, Ukpor, which recently passed second reading on the same day.
It would be recalled that Senator Ubah in 2020 convened high profile citizens under the umbrella of Anambra Progressives and Development Union (APDU) to build within a year an ultramodern Medical and Isolation Centre at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi as well as the main campus in Awka which has been commissioned and handed over to the institution.
