UBTH, NLNG unveil $500,000 15-bed ICU center

The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in collaboration with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) have commissioned a 15-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for patients seeking care at the hospital.

Commissioning the project in Benin, UBTH Chief Medical Director, Darlington Obaseki, said the facility consist of anti microbial epoxy coating, central monitoring system, oxygen alarming system, ventilators, infusion pumps among others.

According to him, the project was part of the Nigeria LNG hospital’s support programme geared towards reducing the healthcare challenges of patients in critical conditions.

“We are one of the busiest hospitals in this country. Every week, we see close to 6,000 patients in a week; every week, we admit about 450 patients and we see about 430 emergencies in this hospital.

While noting that the ICU would complement the existing seven-bed ICU in catering for the hospital’s growing numbers of patients, Obaseki explained that the initiative followed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with NLNG.

Obaseki however commended the LNG for the project which he said would open up more space to accommodate more physically ill patients.

“When the opportunity came for us to benefit from the Nigeria LNG hospital support programme, they asked us to identify a problem, we offered that we wanted our ICU to be upgraded and expanded.”

On his part, NLG Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Philip Mshelbila, said the approved cost for the project was $500,000 per location while the entire programme cost $6 million.

Represented by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Andy Odeh,, said the hospital support programme was conceived on the back of Covid-19 pandemic in order to reduce the pressure medical institutions would experience In managing ill patients.

“The program consists of health intervention projects across 12 federal university teaching hospitals in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),” he said.