Minister of State for Health, Hon. Joseph Ekumankama has commissioned the permanent site of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area, Anambra state.
Commisioning the hospital, Hon. Ekumankama commended the massive work already done in the permanent site and noted that the hospital stands out among the ones they have visited since he assumed office.
The Minister explained that President Muhammadu Buhari gave them the mandate to ensure that every Nigerian receives best medical care, which was why he signed into law, the National Health Act, which stipulates among other things that every Nigeria will receive free medical care to the tune of two hundred and fifty thousand naira yearly.

Hon. Ekumankama explain that the hospital is the realization of the vision of the president, whose dream is to see effective budget utilization of every ministry, especially the health ministry, and thanked Nnewi community for their support to a seamless execution of the projects in the hospital.

The Governor of Anambra state, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo represented by the Anambra state Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, thanked President Buhari for the conversion of Onitsha General Hospital to a Federal Medical Centre, the great work he did at NAUTH Permanent site, as well as his achievements at the Second Niger Bridge, Onitsha.

Governor Soludo said that his administration is committed to reversing medical tourism in the state, which is in tandem with what is seen in NAUTH Permanent Site, and disclosed that he has already awarded the contract for access road to the hospital to reduce the stress people may go through in visiting the hospital.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs. Adejoke Adefulire maintained that the NAUTH Permanent site is among many healthcare facilities built by the Buhari administration in all the thirty six states in Nigeria, and hoped that the incoming administration will sustain the project to achieve prosperity by providing basic health care services to Nigerians.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Dr. Joseph Ugboaja who said he was highly elated, explained that their vision is to be one of the third best third hospitasl in Africa, and to transform NAUTH into a medical mega city.
Dr. Ugboaja said that they have projects done by the SDG’s office and others executed through the support from the Federal Ministry of Health in the hospital.

Some of the dignitaries that attended the event were, the Director General Budget Office Nigeria, Mr. Ben Akabueze, former governor of Anambra state, Dame Virgy Etiaba, an oil magnate, Engineer Arthur Eze, represented by his brother, Dr. Emeka Eze, Chief Innocent Chukwuma of Innoson Motors, Igwe Emeka Ilouno of Ifitedunu, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Anambra state Medical Oxygen Plant, Mrs. Nwamaka Arinze, among numerous stakeholders.
The Minister, CMD and other dignitaries had earlier paid courtesy call on the traditional ruler of Nnewi, Igwe Keneth Orizu.

The event also featured the groundbreaking of proposed Igwe Orizu International ICT Centre, while some of the projects commissioned were Diagnostic Centre, Paediatric Emergency Centre, Medical Ward Complex, Molecular Laboratory, Mother and Child Complex, among others.