By Ayomide Otitoju
The NNPC Limited 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 MRI facility, donated through the company’s corporate social responsibility arm, 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 intervention included the delivery, installation, calibration, testing and commissioning of the state-of-the-art MRI machine alongside supporting infrastructure such as RF shielding systems, chillers, backup UPS systems, electrical installations, specialized imaging accessories, ventilation systems, CCTV and oxygen monitoring systems, intercom communication facilities, and other patient-comfort technologies to ensure optimal operation of the facility.
Before the intervention, patients requiring advanced MRI diagnostic services reportedly faced long waiting periods, high costs and the burden of travelling long distances to access functional imaging centres.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony held at the Igwe Orizu ICT Centre, NAUTH Permanent Site, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, described the intervention as a strategic investment in healthcare access, diagnostic precision and improved patient outcomes.
According to him, the project aligns with the company’s commitment to building sustainable systems and impactful national institutions.
“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 said.
Ojulari added that the company’s social investments serve as a bridge between its mandate of providing and managing energy resources for Nigerians and meeting stakeholders’ expectations.
In his remarks, the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, said the intervention would enhance safe and accurate diagnosis and treatment for patients across the South-East.
He commended NNPC Foundation for the donation, noting that the facility would significantly improve access to quality healthcare services in the region.
Also speaking, the Executive Vice President, Business Services, NNPC Limited, Mrs. Sophia Mbakwe, represented by the Chief Supply Chain Officer, Engr. Isokariari Telema, reiterated the company’s commitment to equitable social investments that positively impact Nigerians.
She noted that for over four decades, the company has continued to support infrastructural development, educational sponsorships and other initiatives aimed at improving lives across the country.
The Chief Medical Director of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja, praised the leadership of NNPC Limited for recognizing the importance of healthcare to national development.
He assured that the hospital would maximize the facility for public benefit, adding that the MRI installation would eliminate the hardship faced by patients who previously travelled long distances at high costs to access advanced diagnostic services.
“NNPC Foundation has demonstrated that corporate social responsibility is not just a policy statement but a lifeline for institutions like ours,” he said.
