The Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Ali Pate, has hailed the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital’s (UPTH) establishment of a N10 billion endowment fund as a pivotal move to enhance healthcare delivery and manpower development in Nigeria.
The Minister made this statement at the 45th anniversary celebration of UPTH, themed “Repositioning For Excellent Healthcare Delivery, Medical Innovations And Manpower Development.”
Professor Pate, represented by Dr. Abisola Adegoke, Director of Teaching Hospital, said the theme of the anniversary resonates with the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare in Nigeria.
He commended UPTH for its commitment to improving healthcare delivery, noting that the Ministry stands fully behind the bold initiative.
He urged other institutions to adopt UPTH’s approach, which integrates cutting-edge research and modern medical technologies to elevate patient care.
He said: “We at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare therefore stand fully behind this bold initiative, we view the Endowment fund not only as a financial mechanism but also as a symbol of the institution’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and leadership in healthcare. It is a model that other tertiary hospitals across Nigeria must emulate.”
In his welcome address, UPTH’s Chief Medical Director, Professor Henry Ugboma, traced the hospital’s evolution from a modest cottage facility to a full-fledged tertiary institution.
Professor Ugboma stated that the hospital has expanded its bed capacity to over one thousand, and there are plans to enhance the hospital’s services.
He noted that these plans cannot be executed solely with funding from the Federal Government and appealed for public contributions to the Endowment Fund to sustain the high-quality services now available.
“Several clinical and medical breakthroughs with testimonies from beneficiaries have been recorded.
“Healthcare professionals, Doctors, Nurses, Physiotherapists have delivered their expertise, separate services, and the management has launched a five-year strategic plan for the hospital as a roadmap to ensure maximum productivity.”
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Dr. Awele Elumelu, Co-founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Professor Osakpowa Imasoke hailed UPTH as a shining example of compassionate care.
She deemed the anniversary theme particularly relevant as global health systems grapple with the lingering effects of COVID-19, which highlighted critical deficiencies in infrastructure and skilled personnel that demand immediate action.
The event drew religious and traditional leaders and included a colloquium centred on the theme: “Repositioning for Excellent Healthcare Delivery, Medical Innovation, and Manpower Development.”
