The technical planning committee for the operationalisation of the Ogoni Specialist Hospital has submitted its report to the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) as construction of the 100-bed facility reaches 78.2 per cent completion.

The report was presented at HYPREP's project coordination office to the project coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, by the 14-member committee led by Professor Christie Mato.

The report outlines key recommendations aimed at ensuring the sustainable operation of the hospital, including proposals on legal and governance frameworks, operational models, scope of services, human resource requirements as well as funding strategies, power supply, waste management, environmental protection, including monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

Presenting the report, Professor Mato said the central objective was to guarantee long-term functionality of the specialist hospital and expand access to quality healthcare services for the Ogoni people. She noted that the establishment of the hospital marked a critical intervention in addressing the health impacts of decades of environmental degradation in Ogoniland, while also closing major gaps in specialist healthcare services within the region and neighbouring communities.

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Commending the committee for what he described as a comprehensive and well-articulated report, Professor Zabbey said the Ogoni Specialist Hospital would significantly strengthen public healthcare delivery in Ogoni by providing specialised medical services and life-saving infrastructure.

According to him, the facility forms part of HYPREP's broader public health interventions in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Ogoniland.