The NNPC Ltd has strengthened healthcare delivery in Nigeria with the commissioning and handover of a fully installed 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) System to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital.
The intervention, executed through the NNPC Foundation, is aimed at improving access to advanced diagnostic imaging services for millions of residents across the South-East region, including Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi States, as well as neighbouring Delta State.
The state-of-the-art MRI facility, commissioned on Friday at the Igwe Orizu ICT Centre, NAUTH Permanent Site, Nnewi, includes the delivery, installation, calibration, testing and full commissioning of the imaging system alongside supporting infrastructure such as RF shielding systems, chillers, backup UPS systems, electrical installations, imaging accessories, ventilation systems, CCTV and oxygen monitoring systems, intercom facilities and other patient-support technologies.
Prior to the intervention, many patients seeking advanced MRI diagnostic services reportedly endured long waiting periods, high costs and stressful journeys to distant 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 in healthcare access, diagnostic precision and improved patient outcomes.
According to him, the intervention reflects the company’s commitment to building enduring institutions and sustainable systems that improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
“The installation of the MRI in NAUTH exemplifies our commitment as our intent is to build 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 the company’s social investments serve as a bridge between its core mandate in the energy sector and the expectations of Nigerians and other stakeholders.
Also speaking, the Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Afam Obidike, commended the NNPC Foundation for the intervention, saying the facility would improve safe and accurate diagnosis and treatment for patients across the region.
The Executive Vice President, Business Services at NNPC Ltd., Sophia Mbakwe, represented by the Chief Supply Chain Officer, Isokariari Telema, reiterated the company’s commitment to equitable and impactful social investments.
She noted that for over four decades, NNPC has continued to impact lives positively through infrastructure development, educational support and other initiatives that reflect its values of integrity, excellence and sustainability.
In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Joseph Ugboaja, praised the leadership of NNPC Ltd. for prioritizing healthcare development.
He said the MRI installation would eliminate the burden faced by patients who previously had to travel long distances and incur huge costs to access advanced diagnostic services.
“For too long, patients in our catchment area have had to travel long distance to access this level of diagnostic precision, often at prohibitive costs. With this installation, we will eliminate that burden. NNPC Foundation has demonstrated that corporate social responsibility is not just a policy statement but a lifeline for institutions like ours,” he said.
