FG shuts down Owerri federal medical centre
The federal ministry of health has temporarily shut down the federal medical centre, Owerri in order to reorganize, restrategise and redefine rules of engagement at the hospital.
Minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole made this known yesterday in Abuja while briefing newsmen on the crisis at the hospital.
He said an interim administration will be put in place to oversee the affairs of the institution and do a staff audit to ensure proper restoration of services. Security agencies have also been directed to offer maximum security for all government owned properties at the federal medical centre.
The crisis at the hospital began in April 2015 when the medical director of the hospital, Dr. Angela Uwakwem forwarded a proposal on the introduction of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in some revenue generating units of the hospital to the top management committee, in order to entrench accountability and increase the revenue base of the hospital.
Adewole said the proposal was vehemently opposed by people who may have been benefitting from the system and went on to incite the unions, adding that the federal government is fully in support of PPP especially in the health sector.
He said the fact finding committee set up by government exonerated the medical director from allegations leveled against her and the government recalled her, which sparked off another round of protests from the union which insisted she must go.
The minister said his visit to the hospital was quite revealing and he was saddened because it showed labour unionism at the highest level of impunity saying employees of government who have been their salaries regularly were clad in black and were chanting solidarity songs.