Two years after Airtel Nigeria renovated and commissioned the
WARD-A Block at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), the company’s Chief
Executive Officer, Carl Cruz, has said the organisation was pleased that the
facility has been serving its intended purpose.
Mr. Cruz made the statement during an inspection of the
building by Airtel leadership, which also included Airtel Africa Non-Executive
Directors.
“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 said.
Recall that in 2021, Airtel embarked on an extensive renewal
project at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), investing ?200
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 government’s efforts to make
society better. At Airtel, we have a strong belief contributing to the
wellbeing 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.
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