The Federal Government has tasked 52 Federal health institutions on the utilisation of the N49 billion intervention fund released to it by the government.
Mr Clem Agba, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, made the demand on Tuesday during an assessment and evaluation visit to Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) in Edo.
The minister while commending the management of ISTH on the utilisation of the fund, noted that only those institutions that have judiciously apply the fund for the intended purpose, would get the balance 50 percent.
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He stressed that each of the 52 federal health institutions were meant to get N950 million to upgrade their infrastructure and improve resilience in the sector.
According to him, “This fund is meant for some specific purpose such as: building of molecular laboratories at the cost of N18.5 billion for the 52 health institutions and equipments for isolation centers at N5.2 billion for the institutions.
“Provision was also made for the building of 520 Intensive Care Units (ICU) at 10 each for the 52 institutions at cost of N18.3 billion and the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at N7 billion.
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“In all, each of the federal health institutions are to get N950 million. Edo State is blessed with three federal health institutions and this has brought close to N3 billion into the medical centres in the State.This is aside the N1 billion given to the State.
“Every State got N1 billion with the exception of Lagos, Kano and FCT that got more because they are the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I have the same impression with what i saw in the centres i have visited before now; quality work being done, equipment have been purchased. ISTH have always been an institution of reference for others.”
The minister also disclosed that two federal health institutions in Edo State, ISTH and University of Benin Teaching Hospital, would benefit from the $18.2 million fund from the Japanese Government.
He said the fund is meant to strengthen disease control in the country and also build capacity of personnel.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of ISTH, Dr Sylvanus Okogbeni, had commended the government for the intervention fund and noted that it has impacted positively in the area of disease control.
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He said with the molecular laboratory, diagnosis were being made without haven to send samples abroad.
“We are able to diagnose not only for COVID-19, but other viruses. It was instrumental in the last few months.
“We were able to to resolve the mysterious deaths in Delta and Eastern part of the country,” he stated.