By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The management of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has been praised for maintaining the N200 million WARD-A Block renovated by Airtel Nigeria two years ago.
The telco, led by its chief executive, Mr Carl Cruz, inspected the facility last week and was impressed with the high maintenance culture of the health institution.
“We are pleased to observe that the collaboration with LUTH has continued to touch the lives of so many Nigerians.
“The outstanding leadership of LUTH also deserves our commendation for how well they have kept the equipment and building for the past two years. Their approach is worthy of emulation,” Mr Cruz was quoted as saying in a statement made available to Business Post.
Recall that in 2021, Airtel embarked on an extensive renewal project at LUTH, investing N200 million to renovate and upgrade the medical equipment as well as the physical architecture of WARD-A, which is a general ward at the institution.
This recent visit, which was to assess the continued impact of the revamped ward, also provided an opportunity for the Airtel executive team to engage with LUTH’s management, staff, and patients to evaluate how significantly the upgraded equipment and building ward have enhanced the delivery of healthcare services.
During the reception organized for the Airtel delegation by LUTH, Mr Cruz reiterated Airtel’s commitment to impacting communities and improving the lives of the less advantaged.
“It is always a delight to contribute to the community in the best ways that we can, especially supporting the government’s efforts to make society better. At Airtel, we have a strong belief in contributing to the well-being of our countrymen, including anyone who is now able to benefit from LUTH as an institution,” he said.
The acting Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Lanre Adeyemo, reflected on the hospital’s journey since the renovation and noted that Airtel’s donation was a significant contribution to the hospital’s development.
“The impact of Airtel’s intervention is very visible,” he said, adding that, “Airtel has become a model of corporate social responsibility to other organizations that have also been inspired to take up projects in LUTH. Before Airtel’s renovation, Ward A, which had not seen any major renovation since it was built in 1962, was the worst of the blocks.”
He noted that since Airtel’s intervention in 2021, LUTH, which operates on a tripod of patient care, research, and training, has had over 800 inpatients while training several nurses, doctors, and dentists in the same period.
