By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The ongoing efforts to upgrade the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, following the approval of a whooping sum of N500 million for the institution by the Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led Anambra State Government.
The latest boost, which was announced over the week by the state government, was confirmed by the Chief Medical Director of COOUTH, Dr. Maureen Umeakuewulu, during her appearance before the Public Accounts Committee of the State House of Assembly to defend the hospital’s accounts for the 2025 financial year
The fund, it was gathered, would enhance and consolidate the already ongoing transformation in the institution, including the purchase of major medical equipment and the accreditation of some critical departments of the hospital.
According to CMD Umeakuewulu who lauded Governor Soludo for his regular support for the hospital and general commitment to boosting the state’s health sector, the intervention was part of the ongoing efforts by the Solution Government to change the fortunes of the institution and improve the quality of healthcare available to patients.
While highlighting some of the critical projects the money would be ventured into, the CMD said the institution had already begun what she described as an innovation and rejuvenation process, with the broader objective of making COOUTH a centre of excellence that can attract patients not only from Anambra but also from neighbouring states and beyond.
She revealed that the Management was already working to reposition the hospital in several areas, including its clinical services and institutional capacity, while also ensuring that resources made available to the institution are applied to areas capable of producing tangible improvements and outcomes in healthcare delivery.
Umeakuewulu told the lawmakers that some of the departments requiring accreditation had been identified and that steps were already being taken to meet the necessary requirements.
She assured the Public Accounts Committee that the hospital Management would implement its 2026 budget in accordance with approved provisions and also address the observations and corrections raised during the review of the 2025 financial year.
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, gathered that the Governor Soludo-led Anambra State Government has, since the commencement of the present administration, continued to prioritise the upgrading of healthcare infrastructure and services across the State, with renewed attention on primary health centers, specialist hospitals and the state’s teaching hospital.
The latest intervention in COOUTH is therefore coming against the backdrop of the administration’s broader efforts to reposition the State’s health sector, improve the standard of medical care available to residents and reduce the need for patients to travel outside Anambra for specialised treatment.
Meanwhile, since her appointment as CMD of COOUTH in March 2026, Dr. Umeakuewulu has continued to push for stronger institutional systems, improved clinical services and greater visibility for the hospital, while also engaging relevant stakeholders on ways to advance its mandate as a teaching and referral hospital.
Bringing on board her wealth of experience, the CMD, together with her management team, has embarked on a series of engagements with professional bodies, health institutions and other stakeholders, with the hospital repeatedly highlighting its plans to strengthen specialised healthcare, patient-centred services, research, training and strategic partnerships.
Speculations abound that the latest N500 million intervention could significantly accelerate the ongoing repositioning of COOUTH and further strengthen its capacity to deliver specialised healthcare services, while also improving the quality of medical training in the institution and creating a more conducive environment for both healthcare workers and patients.
