In order to give patients and their families a place to relax while they await treatment at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, the Catholic Church, with assistance from the Caritas Foundation, donated a ₦60 million Caritas waiting lounge to the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.
Archbishop Gabriel Abegunri, the Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan Archdiocese, made this known at the commissioning of the Caritas waiting lounge, which features facilities for relaxation, toilets, and an eatery for patient relatives. He emphasised that it was the Catholic Church’s support to the government in meeting the needs of the hospital.
He noted that the groundbreaking ceremony for the building was held on April 20, 2020, with an initial plan to complete it in 93 days; however, the project ultimately took four years due to COVID-19, an increase in the price of building materials, and other factors, causing delays in its commissioning until now.
Archbishop Abegunri declared: “Well, I have been visiting this hospital since I was a priest in the parish. And I know the sufferings of both patients and those who come with them. I’ve seen people lying on the floor in some corridors whenever I came to visit patients here.”
“When I asked who were those lying in the corridor and did not go home, they said there’s nothing they can do because there’s no place for them. So then I’ve been thinking of what to do. But luckily, we can do this because those in charge of the hospital are in support of this.”
Head of the Accident and Emergency Department, Dr Kehinde Ojifinni, declared that the emergency department is the first point of call for most patients, especially those who present with severe injuries or sudden illnesses, and sometimes the relatives come with the patient with nowhere to put their things or stay.
Dr Ojifinni declared that the Caritas lounge was in line with the catchphrase of the hospital’s administration, which is patient comfort and a patient-friendly environment, saying the edifice is going to make things very comfortable and dignified for them.
In a remark, UCH’s Chief Medical Director, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, said health institutions will be strengthened for greater efficiency if all within the different strata of society join efforts to make provisions that will make life more meaningful and capable of bringing succour to many patients’ relatives.
He stated that the location of the Caritas lounge was strategic to the operation of the hospital since the emergency department of the hospital is the first point of contact in the hospital for most patients coming to the hospital.
“I recall that before I assumed duty as the CMD, patients’ relatives were sitting on the bare floor. But within a few months of being in office, we provided stainless steel chairs for their comfort, which still exist today. This building will, after commissioning, be readily available for use.
“This institution is our collective legacy and pride, and we must all be active to make the hospital functional and efficient. I want to appeal to well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organisations, and philanthropists to come to the aid of this hospital for effective healthcare service delivery.”
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