I have maintained a long-standing attachment to Regina Caeli Hospital, Awka. In fact, I first heard about the hospital in the 1980s when my mother was delivered of her last child there. Later, two of my three children were also delivered at the same hospital.
Over the years, I have had several reasons to return to the hospital. I once presented a paper during one of its annual retreats, where the current manager regularly invites experts to address members of staff as part of setting the agenda for the year. I have been a patient there myself, and my children continue to receive medical care at the hospital.
Yesterday, I took my youngest child, who had returned home for the mid-term break, to the hospital. I was astonished by what I saw. Anyone who visited Regina Caeli five years ago and returns today would hardly recognise the place.The level of structural development and overall improvement the hospital has recorded is truly remarkable.
After demolishing the old ward, the management erected a magnificent two-storey modern ward in its place. The project was attracted and to a very large extent, sponsored by a priest of the Diocese currently on mission in Austria, Fr. Paulinus Ezeokafor.
Honestly, I am convinced that this facility, comprising male, female, and children’s wards, ranks among the very best in Eastern Nigeria, if not in the entire country.
Apart from being powered by a solar system that guarantees uninterrupted electricity, the building is equipped with modern hospital beds. Each bed has a built-in oxygen supply system, eliminating the need to move oxygen cylinders hither and thither. The flooring is made of specially treated materials, while every bed is accompanied by a comfortable couch that can be converted into a bed at night for relatives attending to patients.
The private rooms are particularly impressive. They resemble the rooms of a three-star hotel more than hospital wards. The room occupied by my child contained a smart television, two fans, an air conditioner, and a refrigerator. Even the bathroom was fitted with a water heater.
When I asked why such comfort was necessary in a hospital environment, Fr. Innocent Achusim explained that clean, attractive surroundings have a positive psychological effect on patients and can contribute to their recovery. He also noted that many patients complain about the lack of peace and quiet necessary for proper bed rest. The private wards therefore provide an option for those who desire a calm environment, free from the constant flow of social visitors.
The transformation I witnessed at Regina Caeli Hospital deserves to be studied by hospital administrators across the country. I recall a conversation with Fr. Achusim in which he lamented that many proprietors and managers of prominent hospitals in Awka had either trained or worked at Regina Caeli. He found it embarrassing that some of those institutions had developed facilities superior to those of Regina Caeli. Today, however, with what is on the ground, such embarrassment has been completely erased.
The hospital now boasts well-equipped and fully functional eye and dental clinics that can compare favourably with the best anywhere in Nigeria. All its departments have been completely refurbished, digitalised and mordenised.
There was a time when many prescribed tests had to be carried out outside the hospital. Today, Regina Caeli has a functional and well-equipped laboratory, complete with modern diagnostic equipment, including CT scan facilities.
While thanking Fr. Achusim for his tireless efforts towards the overall improvement of the hospital, we must also specially commend the Bishop and Proprietor of the hospital, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Paulinus Ezeokafor, for providing the enabling environment, support, and encouragement that have made these achievements possible.
Yet, I dare say that it is not yet Uhuru. Our first point of call yesterday was the hospital’s Emergency Unit. Subject to the availability of funds, that section also deserves a facelift. I say this because, as human beings, first impressions matter greatly. For many patients and their relatives, the Emergency Unit serves as their first encounter with the hospital, and its appearance should reflect the high standards now evident in other parts of this excellent institution.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Obienyem is a journalist and lawyer.
