Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Goodwill Ambassador Foundation (SAGA) has donated free hospital equipment and medical supplies to the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUT), Enugu.
The donation included hospital beds, consumables, theatre tables, mattresses, scanners, ultrasound machines, and various other medical tools and equipment.
Founder of the foundation, Dr. Shola Agboola, said he established SAGA to improve healthcare in Nigeria and Africa after losing his father to tetanus in an ill-equipped facility at the age of 13. He noted that in its 10 years of existence, the foundation had donated medical equipment to about 10 states in Nigeria and three other African countries.
“I must commend the Enugu State government for a well-planned and well-invested healthcare system, which reflects the quality of care envisioned for its people,” he said.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the equipment, Governor Peter Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the state was open to partnerships in healthcare to complement ongoing efforts at revamping facilities across all levels.
He emphasized that his administration had made huge investments “in rebuilding, revamping, and carrying out a total overhaul of the state’s healthcare system.”
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, commended the governor for leveraging his international connections to attract medical support from SAGA Foundation, Canada.
He said the donation came at a critical time as the government had already embarked on retooling healthcare facilities to make Enugu a healthcare destination.
“We are going to deploy these medical equipment and supplies to areas of greatest need in both general and teaching hospitals, and we assure everyone that they will be put to judicious and protective use.
“The ongoing retooling of healthcare facilities has opened more space, and we call for further collaboration and support in providing medical equipment and supplies to fill them up,” Ugwu said.
