The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to public health in Ogoni with the inauguration of a 14-member technical planning committee for the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital.

Nenibarini Zabbey, project coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, said on Friday at the inauguration held at HYPREP’s project coordination office that the hospital was a key part of the government’s broader public health strategy in Ogoniland.

Mr Zabbey said the committee’s formation marked a major step towards making the hospital operational within the proposed timeline.

According to him, both the Ogoni and Buan hospitals are part of HYPREP’s health interventions, which address long-standing challenges in the area.

He pointed out that the projects demonstrate the government’s commitment to fully implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme report.

“This committee brings together experts from multiple fields to ensure sustainable operations of the hospital,” he said.

Mr Zabbey said the team would align all plans with national health policies, standards, and regulations. He also mentioned that they would design a roadmap for the hospital’s operations and governance.

“This includes creating an efficient structure to make the hospital a model for public health delivery in line with global best practices,” he added.

He urged members to deliver actionable recommendations within four months to meet the needs of the Ogoni people.

Chairwoman of the committee, Christie Mato, commended HYPREP for the initiative and pledged the team’s dedication to its mandate. She described the project as a “beacon of hope” for the Ogoni community.

Ms Mato said the final report would be submitted to HYPREP for review before being forwarded to the Governing Council for approval. She disclosed that the hospital is currently 76 per cent complete.

She said the facility would house specialised units such as oncology, ophthalmology, dentistry, obstetrics, gynaecology and emergency services.

Ms Mato added that the committee will define technical specifications and the scope of services for each unit.

The committee includes academics, health experts, community leaders, technical specialists, and representatives of UNEP and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd.

(NAN)