Founded many years ago, Amaku General
Hospital, (now Anambra State University Teaching
Hospital, Awka), gained prominence due to the
expertise of most of the doctors and nurses.
Their selfless services contributed immensely to
the successes achieved in the hospital. But that
was in the past. At a point things began to turn
upside town, perhaps, due to unfavourable
government’s policies, or rather, politicization of
human lives. The basic demands of the hospital
were not met; dilapidated and decayed hospital
equipment was never replaced; the quality and
quantity of the drugs brought to the hospital
became somehow questionable.
Some nurses and doctors, as their own reaction
to government’s apparently callous actions,
began showing lackadaisical attitude towards the
affairs of the patients. Even when a medical
doctor was the governor of Anambra State, the
doctors went on strike after so many years of
tears to draw the government’s attention which
fell on deaf ears. Of course, death rate increased
and some patients who cannot afford private
hospital services were left to their fate. Those who
knew the hospital before now can attest to this.
The hospital from 2007 or so downwards could
not boast of at least one healthy structure or
facility. Patients and indeed good Anambrarians
let ‘wild’ their voices in plea to the government to
no avail.
To be honest, the current government of Mr.
Peter Obi deserves commendation, at least,
counting on what he has achieved at the Anambra
State University Teaching Hospital, Awka. Igbo
adage avers that when you commend someone
for a job well done, he would be fortified with
enough courage to do more! When I visited the
hospital recently, I could not help but shrug in
awe over what I saw. Yes! If one calls it one of the
wonders of Anambra, it would certainly not be in
error. Multibillion naira, gigantic buildings are on
ground. There are over 15 of them that are
completed and others springing up. The quality
of drugs sent to the hospital is sound as captured
in the words of some patients I interacted with.
It is not that there are no few things which need
to be attended to; but whoever sees the truth
should ‘vomit’ it. As at the time I visited the area,
there were series of work going on. The massive
compound was being beautified and trees were
being planted to check erosions and as
windbreaks to preserve the new structures. More
importantly, the teaching hospital secured
accreditation through the relentless efforts of the
same man who made it a teaching hospital, or
rather, paved way for that. The Chief Medical
Director of the hospital, Dr. Ezeobi Ifeanyi has
equally been praised. They said the man works
hard as if it is his personal hospital. However, the
patients and indeed, concerned Anambrarians are
in tears, not of pain or anguish, but of joy.
Honesty demands that he who did well should be
commended.