The Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara, is to start kidney transplant latest in February next year.

The state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, disclosed this during a radio/television phone-in-programme at the Delta Broadcasting Service, Asaba. He said that the state government is benefiting from its partnership with the University of Texas Teaching Hospital, Dallas, USA, with some of its doctors and nurses undergoing training on renal issues and treatment in Dallas.

“Hopefully by February next year, the Renal Unit of the State University Teaching Hospital will start kidney transplant in Oghara in conjunction with the Texas University Teaching Hospital,” the governor stated.

He said that there has been an increased medical tourism to the state due to the ultra-modern facilities at the State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara.

Dr. Uduaghan revealed that an additional 300 bed-facility would soon be added to the hospital in view of the pressure on the facilities and personnel. This, he said, would ease the pressure on the hospital for medical attention and reduce the waiting time for beds especially for surgical cases.

The governor explained that the various health programmes in the state, especially the Free Maternal and Rural Health Scheme, have benefitted both Deltans and non-Deltans alike. “The programme is open to all Nigerians irrespective of states and tribes in the spirit of brotherliness and peaceful co-existence,” Dr. Uduaghan said.

“As a trained doctor, it will be harsh and inhuman for me to turn back a pregnant woman from the state Free Maternal programme because she is a non-Deltan. We are all Nigerians and we have to help ourselves in areas of need,” he added.

The governor explained that the state is paying more attention to primary healthcare in order to reduce the pressure on the secondary and tertiary healthcare levels.

On the contributory pension scheme in the state, the governor disclosed that his administration has contributed over N15 billion to the scheme for civil servants in the state since 2007, explaining that the state government has not defaulted in its contributions to the scheme.

Dr. Uduaghan said that government was looking into the challenges faced in the payment of gratuity and pension of retirees in the state since 2011, especially those in the transitional stages between the old and new pension scheme, and would be sorted out soon.

“This government has not faulted in its contribution to the scheme since 2007 when the contributory pension scheme started. We have not been able to pay for the gratuity and pension of all civil servants that retired since 2011 because there are issues that need to be sorted out before we commence payment. Very soon this will be done and we will pay the entire backlog,” Governor Uduaghan said.

•Photo shows Governor Uduaghan.