COOUTH Transformation Impresses COOU Governing Council as Umeakuewulu Unveils Hospital Reforms
“Historic visit highlights improved emergency care, 24-hour lighting, renovated facilities and stronger university-hospital partnership”
By Titus Eleweke
The ongoing transformation of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, has received commendation from the Governing Council of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), following an official visit to the hospital during which members of the council inspected some of its newly upgraded facilities and assessed the progress of ongoing reforms.
According to a statement issued by the COOUTH Public Relations Unit on Thursday, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Dr. Maureen Uche Umeakuewulu, hosted the University Governing Council on Wednesday in an engagement that highlighted the hospital’s infrastructural development, improvements in patient care and the need to strengthen institutional collaboration between the university and its teaching hospital.
Among the major developments highlighted during the visit were the establishment of a state-of-the-art trauma centre, renovation of critical hospital facilities, installation of solar-powered streetlights to ensure 24-hour illumination, improvement of oxygen delivery systems in emergency units and introduction of an Emergency Care Pack to strengthen emergency response and enhance patient care.
Welcoming the delegation, led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the University Governing Council, Prof. Peter Azikiwe Onwualu, Dr. Umeakuewulu expressed delight at the visit, describing it as an important opportunity to consolidate the existing relationship between the two sister institutions and advance their shared responsibilities in medical education, research and healthcare delivery.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, commended the transformation taking place at COOUTH under Dr. Umeakuewulu’s leadership, particularly the infrastructural improvements recorded within the relatively short period since her appointment as Chief Medical Director.
She expressed satisfaction with the hospital’s clean surroundings and well-maintained facilities, describing the level of cleanliness and environmental upkeep as impressive. She also acknowledged the visible attention given to the hospital’s general outlook, which she attributed to what she described as a feminine touch.
Prof. Omenugha congratulated Dr. Umeakuewulu on her appointment by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, and praised the progress being made in repositioning the teaching hospital for improved healthcare delivery.
Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the Vice-Chancellor emphasised the interdependence of the University’s College of Medicine and the Teaching Hospital, noting that neither institution could realise its full potential without the active support, cooperation and contributions of the other.
She stressed the need to sustain and deliberately deepen the existing relationship through practical collaboration capable of producing measurable benefits in medical training, research, healthcare delivery and institutional development.
Prof. Omenugha further acknowledged that the synergy between the University and COOUTH had contributed to the National Universities Commission’s approval of 16 new academic programmes, several of which are medically related.
In furtherance of this objective, the Pro-Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor appealed to Dr. Umeakuewulu to strengthen cooperation, mutual support and institutional understanding between the University and the Teaching Hospital to advance their respective mandates and achieve shared institutional goals.
The visit was particularly significant as it marked the first time in the University’s history that a Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council had undertaken an official visit to the Teaching Hospital.
Responding, Dr. Umeakuewulu expressed appreciation to the Governing Council for the visit and reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening the existing relationship between both institutions.
She assured the delegation that the concerns, observations and appeals raised during the engagement would receive the necessary attention, expressing optimism that the meeting would translate into fruitful outcomes for the University and the Teaching Hospital.
The CMD also acknowledged the unwavering support of Governor Soludo, whose commitment to healthcare development in Anambra State, she said, had continued to drive significant improvements at COOUTH.
Highlighting some of the administration’s interventions, Dr. Umeakuewulu pointed to the establishment of what she described as the first state-of-the-art trauma centre in Southern Nigeria, as well as the payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), which she said had contributed to making resident doctors at COOUTH among the highest-paid in the country.
She also acknowledged the Governor’s support for infrastructural development and improvements in service delivery across the hospital, noting that the interventions had strengthened the institution’s capacity to provide more effective and responsive healthcare services.
On the hospital’s security and environmental improvements, Dr. Umeakuewulu disclosed that COOUTH had achieved 24-hour illumination through the installation of solar-powered streetlights across its premises.
She described the development as a significant boost to the safety and security of patients, their relatives and hospital personnel, particularly during night-time emergencies and other activities within the hospital environment.
The CMD further highlighted the completed renovation of the Surgical Ward and General Outpatient Department, alongside renovation work at the Specialist Clinic and Adult Accident and Emergency Department.
She explained that the installation of oxygen piping in the Adult Accident and Emergency Department had provided easier and more reliable access to oxygen, facilitating faster and more efficient delivery to patients requiring urgent medical attention.
The introduction of the Emergency Care Pack was also highlighted as another important intervention designed to strengthen the hospital’s emergency response capacity and improve the quality of care available to patients.
According to the CMD, the various interventions reflect the hospital’s renewed commitment to infrastructural development, improved patient care, digital advancement, staff welfare and the creation of a safer, more efficient healthcare environment.
Beyond the institutional discussions, the visit provided members of the Governing Council with an opportunity to assess firsthand the progress being recorded at the Teaching Hospital and gain a better understanding of the reforms being implemented by its management.
A major highlight of the engagement was a guided tour of the hospital’s facilities, during which the delegation inspected some of the completed infrastructural projects and other key developments undertaken under Dr. Umeakuewulu’s leadership.
The inspection enabled the visitors to assess improvements in critical service areas and gain firsthand insight into ongoing efforts to reposition COOUTH for more effective healthcare delivery, improved operational efficiency and institutional excellence.
The historic engagement also featured a tour of the University’s campuses, further underscoring the importance of closer coordination and sustained collaboration between the University and its Teaching Hospital.
The visit reinforced Dr. Umeakuewulu’s commitment to building sustainable institutional partnerships, advancing medical education and strengthening healthcare delivery in line with Governor Soludo’s transformative healthcare agenda and the broader development objectives of Anambra Vision 2070.
