A bill to establish a Federal Orthopedic Hospital in Ukpor in Nnewi South, Anambra State, has passed first reading on the floor of the Senate.
The bill was initiated by Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District at the National Assembly.
Reacting to the bill in a statement on Tuesday, Senator Ubah said:
“In line with my frontline agenda to boost and strengthen accessibility to qualitative healthcare in Anambra South, today being Tuesday, March 2, 2021, I sponsored a bill to establish a Federal Orthopedic Hospital in Ukpor, Nnewi South on the floor of the Senate.
“Undoubtedly, orthopedic healthcare is a critical health concern in every society as it plays a crucial role in the overall well-being and survival of the people.
“Presently, there are only three National Orthopedic Hospitals in Nigeria; National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi-Lagos, National Orthopedic Hospital, Dala-Kano and National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu.
“It is pertinent to note that Anambra South Senatorial District, despite its strategic location in Anambra’s dense and growing commercial population has no specialized orthopedic health facility to provide orthopedic services for the increasingly recurring cases of road and domestic accidents.
“This establishment bill is therefore a strategic effort to bridge the orthopedic healthcare gap and improve the medicare of road accident victims in Anambra and the entire South East extensively.
“Upon establishment, the Federal Orthopedic Hospital, Ukpor will provide qualitative service, training and research, in orthopedics, accident and emergency, as well as surgery and rehabilitative care.
“The Orthopedic Hospital will be optimally equipped, maintained and operated to provide a world-class and ultra-modern facility for diagnosis, curative, and rehabilitative services in orthopedic as well as accident related treatments.
“This will enable more citizens to access specialized orthopedic treatment and medical services such as; foot & ankle, shoulder and elbows, hip and knee, medicinal sports, bone tumors (oncology), spine, joint reconstruction, etc.”
Senator Ubah noted that adequate healthcare is an important factor for human capital development as the basis of economic productivity.
He, therefore, expressed hope that having passed the first reading, the bill will be read the second time and recommended to the relevant committee for further legislative action.
