By Tony Adibe
A renowned physician and immediate past Executive Secretary of Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), Dr. George Ugwu has been elevated to the rank of Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
This elevation to the rank of Professor was announced last Friday by the authorities of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). Ugwu was commended for his hard work, industry, focus and innovation he had brought to the University and College of Medicine.
Reacting to the elevation on Monday in Enugu, Prof. Ugwu said that the reward for “hard work is more work” as “my elevation has put more responsibility on me as a lecturer and mentor”.
“I appreciate the authority of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) led by the Vice Chancellor Prof Charles Arinzechukwu Igwe for the trust and confidence reposed on me for the promotion and elevation to a professorial chair. I will even dedicate myself more to the ideals of hard work and excellence in research and innovation for which our university is globally acclaimed.
Prof. George Ugwu, until his elevation, was a Consultant Special Grade-1 and Senior Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), College of Medicine Ituku/Ozalla.
He was pioneer Associate Dean Student Affairs of College of Medicine, UNN: during when he organized the first Excellence lecture series delivered by Prof Pat Utomi in UNEC, Enugu.
Ugwu was a former Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Enugu State; former Vice Chairman STOBA, Enugu Branch; former President of the Association of Resident Doctors of UNTH; Member – Governing Board of Federal Medical Centre, Asaba and Chairman/Member of several top committees in UNN and medical profession.
Being the immediate past Executive Secretary/CEO of Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), during Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration, Ugwu achieved so much including the following – building of nine new and up-grading three Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to Type-3 PHC facilities, designed to provide rural communities with comprehensive healthcare services within prevention, curative and protective care.
He galvanized support from the State Government, International partners and the communities to make Primary health a priority in the state. He implemented for the first time in the state, Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), in which 260 PHC facilities in the state have benefitted from in-terms of having more manpower, infrastructural upgrades, purchase of drugs and commodities etc.
He also made provision of a befitting office space with necessary equipment as well as recruited and trained midwives and nurses in the PHC facilities in the state. Ugwu also improved all indices and stepped up successes in the Routine Immunization Intensification Programme (RIIP); Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) and response to diseases outbreaks in the state.
Under his watch, the ENS-PHCDA successfully administered first and second phase of COVID-19 vaccine; opened more COVID-19 vaccination sites to make for ease of access/reach and opened COVID-19 supersite in public places in the most populated centre of council areas. For all this he won several Awards and accolades for Enugu State in the Primary Healthcare system. He is well known for his exceptional capacity, hard work and innovation.
