By Nna Anulumadu
There’s joy in the air as St Charles Borromeo Specialist Hospital Onitsha was granted more accreditation by the federal government for training of medical personnel.
Speaking to newsmen on this development, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital Rev Fr. Izunna Okonkwo disclosed that with the accreditation, the hospital has been elevated to a teaching hospital, adding that currently,some doctors are undergoing training at the St Charles Borromeo Specialist hospital,Onitsha. He expressed joy that the hospital has become a teaching hospital for the new Shanahan University of Science and Technology.
He stated that with the recent infrastructure including St Pope John Paul ll international plaza and the Pieta Shrine built in the premises, the hospital has alsobecome a pilgrimage center, where patients and non patients visit for their recreational activities and health needs.
“We have the best kitchen ( restaurant ) in our plaza where one can eat good natural food at cheaper rate, expressing worry that some people are sick today because they are eating concoction in the name of food that eventually affects their liver, kidney and and other organs of the body. In a bid to end the concoction, we started cooking good and healthy foods for public consumption. Apart from that, we have a shopping mall inside the plaza and an a convenience hall at the last floor of the plaza which is open to the public. The Pieta Shrine, he said offers patients opportunity to get faster healing through payers, adding that no matter the level of medical attention given to a patient, prayer is required to back it up for permanent healing. Those who are not sick may have other needs to visit our shrine.
In essence, our hospital is a home away from home where people can come for relaxation and refreshment.
Here we have different branches of medicine such as pediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, nephrology, neurology , Neurosurgery, cardiology, orthopaedics, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) gastroenterology, diabetology/endocrinology. We also have a General Surgery, Anesthesiologists, Physiotherapy, Dentistry, ophthalmology and we have also a very big Pharmacy.
We have experienced consultants in different fields of medicine; some of them teaching in reputable teaching hospitals around, and there are still others who do not engage in any other public service.
He posited that the visit of St John Paul ll to the hospital over forty years ago and his presence in heaven has continued to attract great healing power of God to patients accessing medical care at the hospital. The hopital was also privileged to be visited by another Pope Paul Vi in 1962 who visited as Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, before he became a Pope, stating that by extention, two Popes, who are now Saints have visited the hospital, asserting that these visitations have made the hospital a ‘holy land.’ He made it clear that no private hospital in Nigeria can easily compete with St Charles Borromeo Specialist Hospital in terms of provision of quality health care and services at affordable prices.
