JULIUS BERGER TO BUILD NIGERIA’S FIRST STATE-OWNED CANCER AND CARDIO-VASCULAR DISEASE DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT CENTRE IN PORT HARCOURT

The nation’s leading engineering construction company and most reliable infrastructures

development partner, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, has signed a contract to build Nigeria’s first

State-owned cancer and cadio-vascular diseases diagnostic and treatment centre in the Rivers

State capital, Port Harcourt.

The contract signing ceremony took place 9.00am last Monday at the Council Chambers of

the Rivers State Government House with the full complement of the State Executive

Council, including the Executive Governor His Excellency, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, CO N,

GSSRS, POS (Africa) and Deputy Governor Her Excellency Dr. Mrs Ipalibo Harry Banigo,

DSSRS in attendance.

The Governor who disclosed that the multi-billion Naira project is for a 14-months

completion period, also emphasized that the contractors, Julius Berger, come rain or shine,

should in line with their habitual and well attested reliability, work, complete and deliver the

project for commissioning as scheduled by the Government. He emphasized his unflinching

confidence in the commanding technical competence and abilities of the country’s leading

engineering construction leader. According to the Governor: “People ask: why should it be

Julius Berger that will build it, and I ask why not Julius Berger? Our people need the best

infrastructures, and in this country, we all agree that Julius Berger builds and delivers

only the very best and lasting infrastructures. We chose Julius Berger to help us build it

not only well, but also successfully within its scheduled completion time as experience have

taught us the company always do with projects they undertake.”

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Engr. Dr. Lars

Richter, described the

project as a special one in the sense that it is a medical facility

“that has the potential to alleviate suffering and serve as a beacon for care for the

diagnosis and treatment of chronic disease in Nigeria….a project to serve as a catalyst

and inspiration for the development of reliable, high quality healthcare solutions in

Nigeria.” The Julius Berger helmsman further said the Centre has been designed with

“advanced healthcare services such as Chemotherapy and nuclear Medicine”.

The facility is designed to provide 72 beds for patient accommodation, including a

dedicated ICU/CCU patient accommodation ward; critical care areas for immune

compromised patients; and private isolation bed wards. Additionally, the hospital will

also feature outpatient procedure capacities, a fully equipped Pathology laboratory, a

fully equipped Radiology department, two full theatres and one Cathlab with full support

infrastructure, electronic and mechanical systems and equipment, doctors consulting

rooms for inpatient and outpatient consultation, a pharmacy; as well as a coffee shop and

restaurant facility for visitors and patients refreshments.

Richter said the building itself has been designed using the “best practice” principle for

hospitalsandwillbeequippedwithmostmodernmedicaldiagnostic

equipment.

This, he

said, “means that in planning the facility, there was a careful consideration of the

patient and service flow, to ensure a highly efficient and thoughtful environment –

• ensuring hospital functions remain out of sight to patients and visitors, in order to

  provide a quieter, calmer more therapeutic stay and an improved recovery”. Richter

  further said that the building has also been “future proofed”, having been designed to be

  “extension ready, to accommodate additional facilities or services for possible new

  advanced treatment and care in the future”.

  Dr Richter who commended the Rivers State Government for its vision and foresight in

  conceiving the facility, added that the project is a meaningful effort to address the gaps

  in radiotherapy and cancer treatment in Nigeria. “The state-of-the art and modern

  cancer treatment centre will reduce suffering, reduce morbidity and reduce the need

  for the seeking of treatment abroad by improving cancer treatment in Nigeria – and

  making Rivers State the new medical tourism destination”, said Lars Richter. The

  Rivers State Government, he added, “has shown a true investment in infrastructure for

  progress, not only in roads and flyovers, but also in the development of key building

  infrastructure and healthcare services.”

  Speaking on the scope of the project, the Julius Berger Managing Director explained that

  the project will consist of a 3-storey building that covers a gross building area of 11,300

  m

  2

  , and is to be completed over a 14 month construction period. Promising to deliver the

  hospital project to the highest quality of works, the quintessential Julius Berger standard,

  Richter said: “We are honoured to be the chosen partners for construction of this

  specialized hospital. I am confident, and without doubt, that with the strong

  commitment of our client and the project consultants, Julius Berger will unfailingly

  deliver on the project requirements , on time – to ensure that this specialized hospital

  starts to provide the healing that so many people need”. Richter, on behalf of the

  Management and Board of Directors of Julius Berger, thanked the Rivers State

  Government for choosing the company as the construction partner

  for

  the

  highly

  significant

  and

  progressive project.

  The foundation laying ceremony for the project followed immediately at the project site

  located at Ikwere road, Rumuokwuta, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area after the contract

  was signed.The foundation laying ceremony was done by the country’s Honourable Minister

  of Health, Dr. Osagie E. Enahire, MD, FWACS, who flew in from Abuja for the memorable

  event.

  Other important dignitaries at the foundation laying ceremony included the former Governor

  of Rivers State Dr. Sir Peter Odili and his wife the Honourable Justice Mary Odili of the

  Supreme Court of Nigeria, former Governor of the State, Sir Celestine Omehia, former and

  serving members of the National Assembly as well as the Rivers State House of Assembly,

  the Hon. Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani,

  Members of the State Executive Council, Secretary to the State Government Taditional

  Rulers and Youths and Women organizations from across the State.

  The Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, was accompanied to the events by the

  Regional Manager, South-South/South East operations, Engr. Juergern Fischer, Management

  staff and project coordinator Chief Sam Ngbor, Project Manager, Rimon Marisho, Contract
• Manager Barr. Mrs Omonigho Brown; and the Head, Media Relations Office of the Julius

  Berger Nigeria Plc Group, Prince Moses Duku.

About Author

admin

See author's posts