South South Youth Leaders Forum Extols Chituru’s Revival of UPTH
The Chairman of the South South Youth Leaders Forum, Odiedim Amachree, has hailed the transformative leadership of Professor Chituru Godwill Orluwene, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), describing his first 100 days in office as a clinical “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” (CPR) for the institution.
Speaking to journalists following an extensive fact finding tour of teaching hospitals across the South-south geopolitical zone, Mr. Amachree noted that the rapid revitalisation of UPTH stands as a beacon of administrative excellence in the region.
The Forum observed that prior to the current administration, the premier health institution had been in a state of “functional coma,” plagued by infrastructural decay and administrative lethargy.
“In just 100 days, Professor Chituru has performed what we can only describe as an administrative CPR on UPTH,” Amachree stated. “The pulse of the hospital has returned. We have moved from a state of near total collapse to a vibrant, functioning centre of medical excellence.
“|The change is not just cosmetic, it is systemic and deeply felt by the patients and the host community.”
During the tour, the South South Youth Leaders Forum highlighted several critical milestones achieved within the short window of the CMD’s tenure, including
the rehabilitation of critical wards and the restoration of consistent power and water supply to essential units.
A noticeable reduction in patient wait times and an improvement in the responsiveness of the emergency and trauma centres.
The restoration of a harmonious working relationship between management and health workers, will ensure better service delivery.
Amachree emphasised that the tour of health facilities in the South-south was aimed at ensuring accountability and encouraging best practices in public service. He noted that UPTH currently sets a high standard for other federal medical institutions in the zone.
“We did not come here for a courtesy visit, we came for an assessment,” Amachree continued. “What we found is a leader who understands that healthcare is a race against time. Professor Chituru has demonstrated that with the right political will, even the most ailing institutions can be resuscitated.”
The Forum called on the Federal Ministry of Health and stakeholders within the Niger Delta to continue supporting the CMD’s vision to ensure the “recovery” of the hospital is permanent.
“The South South Youth Leaders Forum stands in full support of this trajectory. We urge the CMD to remain focused on his goal of making UPTH a global destination for medical tourism,” the Chairman concluded.
