NNPC Boosts South-East Healthcare with MRI Donation To NAUTH

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC Ltd, has strengthened healthcare delivery in the South-East with the commissioning and handover of a state-of-the-art 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, system to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital.

‎ ‎The MRI equipment was officially commissioned on Friday at the Igwe Orizu ICT Centre of the hospital in Nnewi, Anambra State. ‎ ‎Speaking during the ceremony, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described the project as a major milestone in the company’s corporate social responsibility drive aimed at improving healthcare services across Nigeria. ‎ ‎Ojulari said the installation of the MRI machine would not only benefit residents of Anambra State but also serve patients across the South-East geopolitical zone. ‎ ‎According to him, the intervention reflects NNPC Limited’s commitment to building sustainable institutions and supporting critical sectors beyond oil and gas operations. ‎ ‎He noted that Nigeria’s health sector continues to face challenges including inadequate infrastructure, shortage of equipment, funding constraints and personnel attrition, stressing that the MRI installation at NAUTH would ease healthcare delivery and reduce the burden on patients seeking advanced medical diagnosis outside the region. ‎ ‎The NNPC boss added that the project would save lives, reduce medical tourism within the country and improve access to quality healthcare services for thousands of Nigerians. ‎ ‎Ojulari also urged stakeholders and the management of the hospital to ensure proper maintenance and sustainability of the facility for future generations. ‎ ‎In his acceptance speech, the Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Dr. Joe Ugboaja, expressed appreciation to the NNPC Foundation for what he described as a humanitarian intervention. ‎ ‎Ugboaja said the MRI equipment would significantly improve diagnostic and treatment services at the hospital and enhance healthcare delivery within Anambra State and the South-East region. ‎ ‎He assured the NNPC Foundation of the hospital’s commitment to maintaining the facility, adding that the institution remains focused on becoming one of the best teaching hospitals in Nigeria. ‎ ‎Also speaking, the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation Limited/GTE, Lady Emmanuella Arukwe, said the MRI installation would help bridge the gap in quality healthcare delivery in underserved communities. ‎ ‎She noted that limited access to medical infrastructure and skilled healthcare services continues to contribute to high mortality rates in Nigeria, adding that the intervention would improve diagnosis, treatment and reduce the stress and cost associated with travelling long distances for medical care. ‎ ‎Arukwe further stated that the equipment would also provide training opportunities for future medical professionals in Nigeria. ‎ ‎The event attracted traditional rulers, representatives of South-East teaching hospitals, officials of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, and members of the Anambra State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress led by its Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, among other dignitaries. ‎