The State Hospital, Ilaro in Ogun State has bagged the 2016 NigeriaQual Award for its consistent and commitment towards‎ improving quality of health care delivery for people living with HIV/AIDs in the state.

Minister for Health, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole, said the hospital was selected as the best in the 36 states, considering its strong leadership position in promoting the NigeriaQual Program with qualified personnel and engaging in achieving its set goals through good working relationship between the staff and the implementing partners.

Represented by the Director of Public Health in the ministry, Dr. Evelyn Ngige, the minister, while making the presentation in Abuja, said the State Hospital, Ilaro, was honoured for demonstrating great passion for quality improvement, exemplified commitment and positive attitude towards the NigeriaQual Programme.

“Ogun State Hospital, Ilaro has met these criteria and has clearly demonstrated the qualities we look for in the recipient of this award,” he affirmed.

Project Director of Nigerian Alliance for Health Systems Strengthening (NAHSS), Chinenye Ugoji, said the award, which was organised by the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the University of Maryland, USA was for selected sites that had participated in at least three rounds of the NigeriaQual exercise.

Receiving the award on behalf of the State Government, a Senior Medical Officer in the State, Dr. Adetola Oladunni said the state government has restored the hope of people living with the HIV through consistent counselling, drugs procurement, placement of HIV pregnant women on Anti-Retroviral Prophylaxis to prevent mother to child transmission.

He maintained that the award was a welcome development considering the amount spent in the health sector, especially in the procurement of machines and equipment needed in hospitals across the state.

•Photo shows Prof. Adewole.