By Stanley Nwako
The Anambra State Government has dismissed viral allegations on the condition of facilities at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, AMAKU, Awka, describing the claims as misleading and not reflective of the hospital’s present state.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, made this known on Thursday after leading the anchor of the podcast, Yan Baba, alongside journalists on a facility-wide inspection of the teaching hospital. He said the inspection was organized to verify the claims and promote transparency.
Dr. Obidike said he invited the broadcaster immediately after watching the podcast, insisting that facts should be established through physical verification rather than speculation on social media.
According to him, the team toured the hospital from the main gate through the emergency unit, trauma centre, wards, operating theatres, oxygen plant, Intensive Care Unit, and diagnostic departments to give the public an independent view of the hospital.
“The claims were that there were large potholes at the entrance, that the hospital environment was dirty and that critical facilities were not functioning,” the Commissioner said. “Everyone who joined the tour has now seen that those claims do not reflect the present reality at AMAKU.”
He noted that the inspection confirmed the availability of modern equipment, including multiple ECG machines, a 64-slice CT scan, a piped oxygen system, and modern operating theatres. He added that Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo recently approved the procurement of medical equipment worth over ₦500 million for the hospital.
Dr. Obidike further disclosed that Anambra has emerged as one of Nigeria’s leading performers in primary healthcare, having won the National Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge Fund Award twice in three years and attracting about $1.6 million in performance-based grants. He reaffirmed government commitment to free antenatal and delivery services, improved welfare for health workers, and the establishment of the University of Medical Sciences and Technology.
Speaking during the tour, the Chief Medical Director of AMAKU, Dr. Maureen Uche Umeakuewulu, said the hospital management maintains a clean and safe environment through regular sanitation, grass clearing, and fumigation despite the rainy season. She stressed that the impromptu nature of the inspection showed that no special preparations were made.
Dr. Umeakuewulu also highlighted ongoing reforms at the hospital, including digitization of patients’ records with barcode technology, provision of Wi-Fi across the facility, and introduction of an electronic payment system to eliminate cash handling and improve revenue transparency. She added that patronage has increased during the ongoing free cervical, breast, and prostate cancer screening in commemoration of the birthdays of Governor Soludo and Dr. Nonye Soludo.
The doctor whose remarks featured in the podcast later clarified that his interview was based on his past experiences at AMAKU and the gaps that existed at the time. In a message to the Commissioner, he acknowledged that the Soludo administration had responded to many of those challenges through renovation, improved remuneration, the Medical Response Team Fund, hazard allowances, and development of the trauma centre.
He explained that the podcast was intended as a chronological account and that commendations of the current administration may not have been emphasized in circulated excerpts. He further clarified that his reference to lack of an Automated External Defibrillator was about the Emergency Room and not the trauma centre, which he was informed has been equipped but not yet commissioned.
Responding, Dr. Obidike said he welcomed the clarifications but maintained that assessment of the hospital should be based on current facts. He urged Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora to support the state’s health sector through research, training, and telemedicine, and reaffirmed government’s commitment to transforming AMAKU into a centre of excellence and ensuring quality, affordable healthcare for all Ndi Anambra.
Stanley Nwako is of the Ministry of Health, Anambra State
