Shell, NNPC, Others Revamp Flood-ravaged Hospital in N’Delta

Peter Uzoho

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) and its joint venture partners that included the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and two other international oil companies have given a new lease of life to government owned Edagberi Cottage Hospital in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The 20-bed hospital was ravaged by flood in 2012, which rendered it neglected until the multi-million-naira intervention by the NNPC/SPDC/TotalEnergies/NAOC Joint Venture, leading to the recent reopening of the facility on July 27.

Shell disclosed this in a statement issued last night and signed by its Media Relations Manager, Abimbola Essien-Nelson.

According to the statement, the Commissioner for Health in Rivers State, Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, described the intervention by SPDC and its partners as a critical move that would change the face of health care delivery in Edagberi community and its environs.

Represented at the reopening ceremony by the Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State Health Management Board, Dr. Bright Ogbonda, the commissioner stated,

“Shell and its partners, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, have proved that they really value their hosts in the scheme of things and for which reason we thank the joint venture for coming to the aid of government to revamp the hospital.”

SPDC’s Community Health Manager, Dr. Akin Fajola, noted that the close collaboration between the state government, the community leadership and the joint venture partners made the revamp project a success. 

He, therefore, advocated stronger ties between the community and SPDC for a peaceful environment that would allow for the delivery of social investment projects.

In a goodwill message at the reopening ceremony, SPDC’s Director and Country Head, Corporate Relations, Mr. Igo Weli, who was represented by the Corporate Relations Manager, Evans Krukrubo, called for a sustainability system by the hospital management board in collaboration with the community to ensure the availability of the facility to serve the people.

“Revamping the hospital is not enough but ensuring that the managers sustain a maintenance culture that keeps the hospital in good service shape at all times,” Weli said.

The Edagberi Cottage Hospital is one of the five supported by the SPDC-operated joint venture in Rivers State.

The renovation included the provision of a standard laboratory, a blood bank, a diagnostics centre, a maternity ward, and a well-equipped theatre and an emergency room with a suction machine and an automated external defibrillator (AED). The hospital has also been provided with an ambulance and staff accommodation.

As part of the reopening ceremony, Shell revealed that over 800 people benefitted from a medical outreach programme which offered surgical services, general consultation and treatment, pharmaceutical services, laboratory services including grouping and cross matching, a blood bank for blood transfusion, emergency services, handling of minor procedures and immunisation services.