By Kwin Israel, The Sight News
The Corporate Social Responsibility arm of NNPC Limited, the NNPC Foundation, has commissioned and handed over a fully installed 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) System to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), in a move aimed at strengthening access to quality healthcare and advanced diagnostic services in Nigeria.
The state-of-the-art MRI facility, commissioned during the weekend at the Igwe Orizu ICT Centre, NAUTH Permanent Site in Nnewi, Anambra State, is expected to improve diagnostic imaging services for millions of residents across the South-East states of Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi, as well as neighbouring Delta State.
The intervention covered the delivery, installation, calibration, testing and commissioning of the 1.5 Tesla MRI machine alongside critical supporting infrastructure such as RF shielding systems, chillers, backup UPS systems, electrical installations, specialized imaging accessories, ventilation systems, CCTV and oxygen monitoring systems, intercom communication facilities and patient comfort technologies to ensure seamless operation of the facility.
Before the intervention, many patients requiring advanced MRI diagnostic services reportedly faced long waiting periods, high costs and the burden of travelling far distances in search of functional imaging centres.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Bashir Bayo Ojulari, who was represented by the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation Ltd./Gte, Emmanuella Arukwe, described the project as a strategic investment aimed at improving healthcare access, enhancing diagnostic precision and ensuring better patient outcomes.
According to him, the intervention reflects the company’s commitment to building sustainable systems and impactful national institutions.
“The installation of the MRI in NAUTH exemplifies our commitment to building enduring institutions, sustainable systems and legacies. This intervention aligns with our conviction that access to quality healthcare underpins human dignity, longevity and economic productivity,” he stated.
Ojulari further noted that NNPC Ltd.’s social investments remain a vital bridge between the company’s mandate of providing and managing energy resources for Nigerians and the expectations of stakeholders nationwide.
In his remarks, Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Afam Obidike, commended the NNPC Foundation for the intervention, noting that the MRI facility would enhance safe, accurate and timely diagnosis and treatment for patients across the region.
Also speaking, the Executive Vice President, Business Services, NNPC Ltd., Sophia Mbakwe, represented by the Chief Supply Chain Officer, NNPC Ltd., Isokariari Telemare, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to equitable and impactful social investments that improve the lives of Nigerians.
She noted that for over four decades, NNPC has consistently supported communities across the country through infrastructural development, educational sponsorships, social amenities and other initiatives that reflect the company’s core values of integrity, excellence and sustainability.
On his part, the Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Joseph Ugboaja, applauded the leadership of NNPC Ltd. for prioritising healthcare as a critical driver of national development and public wellbeing.
He assured that the hospital would maximise the MRI facility for the benefit of patients and the wider public.
“For too long, patients in our catchment area have had to travel long distances to access this level of diagnostic precision, often at prohibitive costs. With this installation, we will eliminate that burden. The NNPC Foundation has demonstrated that corporate social responsibility is not just a policy statement but a lifeline for institutions like ours,” he said.
