OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — As part of the ongoing commissioning of 11 legacy Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR projects across the country, TotalEnergies Upstream Companies Nigeria, and partners have commissioned a mammography centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, Bayelsa State.
The state-of-the-art centre officially handed over on Friday, is a prototype being deployed across the different geo-political zones of the federation by the NNPC, Total Energies and partners (CNOOC, Petrobras (Prime 130) and Sapetro).
First phase of the projects was launched in 2017 with 33 projects completed. Twenty-four projects were launched in 2018 in the 2nd phase, and were 27 in 2019 in the 3rd phase. Out of these 58 ongoing projects in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd phases, 11 are currently being commissioned while 45 are still under construction, and we shall commission them on completion”.
In his speech during the handing over event at the University Teaching Hospital, Managing Director, TotalEnergies Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Mike Sangster, said the projects scattered across the country, were borne out of the need to mitigate the gaps in qualitative and technical education, maternal and child health, access to clean water and women and youth empowerment.
“They are in congruence with the related United Nations Sustainability Development Goals. The locations of these projects have also been very carefully chosen for maximum impact, coming from a need assessment carried out before the deployment”.
The state of the art facility includes a main reception and waiting area of 21 persons sitting capacity, radiologist’s office, mammography technicians’ bay and changing room, two patients’ changing rooms, clinical examination room, treatment room and others.
The treatment room houses state-of-the-art equipment, including the Bard Magnum Breast Lump Biopsy Set for image-guided breast lump biopsies, as well as the Senographe Pristina 3D equipment, which delivers 3D imaging at lowest radiation exposure with superior diagnostic accuracy in the detection of breast cancer. This equipment offers Digital Breast Tomosyntheses and Stereotaxy for enhanced image-guided biopsy and has capacity to process 120 examinations per day. It is ideal for screening exercises. The facility comes complete with a 40kva generator for stable power supply.
“As already mentioned, the project we are commissioning today is one of the several projects being deployed across the entire country. Unfortunately, because of the Covid-19 pandemic we could not be physically present with you today. However, we have adopted this efficient and effective remote commissioning strategy to ensure delivery of all completed projects. I thank our senior partners, NNPC, and our PSC partners, SAPETRO, PRIME and CNOOC, who have joined us in providing the means, the processes and the resources that enabled us to deploy these local development projects. I also thank our several stakeholders including the State & Local Governments, beneficiary institution and the Project Managers for their support. As we hand over the project to you today, we implore you to ensure its sustainable use to impact on the people positively. The sustainability barometer shall be seen during our Impact Assessment Exercise, when we will come back to check how this project has helped and improved the impact of the hospital and lives of the benefitting community,” he said.
Bala M. WUNTI, General Group Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS said the completion and commissioning of this project in 2021 is in furtherance of the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of the Nigerian Government through its Oil and Gas sector.
“In NNPC, our vision for social intervention is to continue to operate in an ethical and sustainable manner and deal with the environment and social impacts occasioned by our activities.We pride ourselves in our slogan “we touch your lives in many positive ways”, hence the approval for the deployment of various CSR projects by our operators across the country for maximum impact. NNPC along with its partners have implemented various projects in the areas of education (building and equipping of schools/ classrooms, laboratories, donation of books, scholarships, Quiz competitions, etc.) skill acquisitions and economic empowerment, healthcare, solar power and other infrastructural intervention projects.
These projects were borne out of the need to mitigate the gaps in Health Care, Quality Education, Water, and Women & Youth Empowerment in line with the relevant Millennium Development Goals (MDG). NNPC and its Partners are socially responsible organisations committed to improving the livelihood of the citizens of our great country, Nigeria.
“NNPC will continue to consistently champion the implementation of Sustainable Community Development projects that will positively impact the lives of the citizens of this Country. We are very proud and elated to be commissioning yet another laudable and essential project. We know that this facility will help provide succor to the people for the purpose it is intended,” he said.
Receiving the project on behalf of the community, Chief Zitan Otoh, Head of Okolobiri community, thanked TotalEnergies and partners for the laudable initiative. He promised to sensitise the community, especially the women on the need to avail themselves for breast cancer screening, and make best use of the facility.
Representing the state’s Commissioner for Health was the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Wisdom Sawyer, who thanked TotalEnergies and partners.
“Government alone cannot provide good healthcare services for all. That is why we are happy and grateful for this project. This centre is not going to screen just women, but also men. Now we have confirmed that the multinationals are working, and we are grateful”, he said.
He encouraged the community women to present themselves for breast cancer screening, and also advised the men to release their wives for such exercise.
“Early cancer detection saves lives”, he added, as he promised that the state would ensure best use of the facility to provide universal healthcare for the people.
