Staff of the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUT), Parklane, on Friday staged a solidarity march in support of the re-election of Governor Peter Mbah in the February 2027 governorship election, declaring their satisfaction with the administration’s interventions in the health sector and pledging to mobilise support for his return for a second term.
The march, which attracted senior and junior members of staff, interns and representatives of various unions in the hospital, was part of a series of activities, including medical outreaches and a football tournament, organised from October 21 to celebrate the governor’s achievements in the health and education sectors.
The procession, which commenced at the hospital premises and terminated at Okpara Square, Enugu, featured solidarity songs and expressions of support for the Mbah administration, with the participants describing the governor’s interventions as transformative for the state’s healthcare delivery system and the welfare of medical personnel.
Speaking during the event, the Chief Medical Director of ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Prof. Bertrand Ngwu, said the activities were organised to appreciate Governor Mbah for what he described as unprecedented investments in healthcare infrastructure, human capital development and workers’ welfare.
He listed the administration’s interventions to include massive recruitment of health personnel, continuous training and retraining of medical workers, upgrading of hospital infrastructure, and the payment of pensions and gratuities to retired workers.
Ngwu further highlighted the upgrading of departments and professional units across the hospital, including Medicine and Surgery, Radiography, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy and Nursing, as well as the strengthening of internship and residency training programmes, attributing the improvements to the governor’s visionary and innovative leadership.
He also recalled the establishment of four new campuses of the Schools of Nursing in Awgu, Nsukka, Oji River and Parklane, describing the expansion as part of the administration’s deliberate effort to strengthen the supply of skilled healthcare professionals across the state.
“We in Parklane dedicated today and tomorrow to appreciate our Governor for choosing health and education as his top priorities. Parklane today is manning the entire Enugu health sector professionally. Hospitals that run Accident and Emergency residency training programmes rely on our facility. There are two gigantic twin six-storey buildings and a seven-storey building at ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, currently being remodelled and raised to international standards under this administration,” he said.
The CMD also commended the administration for its interventions in maternal and child healthcare, the transformation of neonatal wards, refurbishment of the Children’s Emergency unit and the provision of modern equipment for operating theatres.
He particularly highlighted the Medical Residency Training Fund, noting that Enugu was among the few states investing in the programme, and said the administration’s support had helped the hospital secure several professional accreditations.
“That is why we, the staff of ESUT Teaching Hospital, say we are strongly behind Mbah in the coming election,” he added.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Enugu State Chapter, Dr. Chima Edoga, commended Governor Mbah for his sustained interventions in the health sector, noting that the improvements had significantly changed the working environment and professional prospects of medical doctors in the state.
Edoga recalled that the hospital previously experienced a steady exodus of medical doctors, but said the trend had been reversed under the present administration, with doctors now choosing to remain at Parklane and even medical personnel from federal teaching hospitals seeking employment there.
He described the solidarity march as a deliberate expression of appreciation by the medical community, adding that the governor had consistently demonstrated sensitivity to the needs and demands of doctors, particularly those working in tertiary healthcare institutions.
“As an association, we are so grateful to the Governor because he has always been sensitive to the yearnings, needs and demands of medical doctors working in the state, especially in the tertiary health institution. So, today we have come out en masse to walk from Parklane down to Okpara Square, which is symbolic, to express our joy and happiness with His Excellency and to tell him that we are happy with what he is doing,” he said.
Edoga expressed confidence that another four years under Mbah would enable the governor to consolidate and expand the gains already recorded in the sector.
Speaking on behalf of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Dr. Achi Ifeoma described Governor Mbah as an answered prayer for health workers, citing his responsiveness to their demands and his commitment to improving their welfare.
She said the union, which she described as the largest among the various labour unions in the hospital, had resolved to stand firmly behind the governor, adding that the solidarity march was also an opportunity to acknowledge the administration’s willingness to address issues raised by workers.
She assured that the union would mobilise its members in support of Mbah’s re-election in 2027.
The solidarity march ended at Okpara Square, where the hospital workers reiterated their support for the governor, describing the improvements in healthcare infrastructure, professional development and workers’ welfare as reasons for their endorsement of his second-term bid.
