COOUTH CMD, 15 Brigade Commander Strengthen Ties to Improve Military Healthcare
The Chief Medical Director of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, Dr. Maureen Uche Umeakuewulu, has reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Nigerian Army to improve access to medical care for military personnel.
Dr. Umeakuewulu gave the assurance on Thursday when she received the Commander of the 15 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Awka, Brigadier General S. Ahmadu, who led a delegation from the brigade on a courtesy visit to the hospital.
The visit provided an opportunity for both institutions to strengthen their existing relationship, particularly in emergency medical response, patient referrals, outpatient services and access to healthcare for military personnel.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the COOUTH Public Relations Officer (PRO) Team and made available to journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital on Friday.
According to the statement, Brigadier General Ahmadu congratulated Dr. Umeakuewulu on her assumption of office as the first female Chief Medical Director of COOUTH, describing her emergence as a significant achievement. He also wished her a successful and impactful tenure.
The brigade commander commended the hospital’s management and medical personnel for the quality of care provided to soldiers brought to the facility, noting that prompt and appropriate medical attention was essential to the welfare and morale of military personnel, particularly those injured in the line of duty.
He appealed to the hospital to sustain its responsiveness to medical emergencies involving soldiers, stressing the importance of timely intervention in addressing the healthcare needs of personnel engaged in military operations and other official duties.
Responding, Dr. Umeakuewulu expressed appreciation to Brigadier General Ahmadu and his delegation for the visit, describing it as an important step towards consolidating the relationship between the hospital and the Nigerian Army.
She said the engagement would help strengthen cooperation in critical areas of healthcare delivery, including patient referrals, staff healthcare, outpatient services and the provision of seamless access to medical attention for military personnel.
The CMD assured the delegation that COOUTH remained committed to providing appropriate medical attention to soldiers and facilitating access to its services whenever the need arose.
She further encouraged military personnel to identify themselves with their valid military identification cards when accessing healthcare services at the hospital, explaining that doing so would enable the facility to recognise them appropriately and facilitate the necessary administrative and medical procedures.
“Once you show your card as a soldier of the Nigerian Army, COOUTH will know exactly where to pick the case from,” she said.
Dr. Umeakuewulu’s assurance underscored the hospital’s readiness to work with the Nigerian Army to improve the coordination of care for military personnel and strengthen institutional cooperation in healthcare delivery.
