By Abugu Gloria
The Anambra State House of Assembly has called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to establish an independent monitoring unit within the State Ministry of Health to oversee the professional conduct of health personnel in public health facilities across the state.
The resolution followed a motion adopted during plenary on March 3rd, which was moved by Hon. Chidiebele Ibemeka representing Njikoka 1 constituency and was seconded by Hon. Ebuka Igwe representing Idemili South constituency.
The House had resolved to urge Governor Soludo to establish a monitoring unit within the Ministry of Health to oversee the professional activities of health personnel in all public health facilities in the state, with the aim of curbing medical negligence and preventing avoidable loss of lives.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze who presided over the plenary had moved for the adoption of the motion while the lawmakers unanimously adopted it through voice votes.
Presenting the motion for consideration, Hon. Ibemeka said the initiative aligns with Governor Soludo’s commitment to safeguarding the lives of Ndi Anambra through improved health insurance coverage and strengthened healthcare personnel capacity.
He expressed concern over increasing reports and public outcry about alleged medical negligence, slow emergency response, and unprofessional conduct by some healthcare workers, which he said have led to avoidable loss of lives.
Hon. Ibemeka noted that emergency units such as the Emergency Room (ER) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were high-pressure environments where every second counts, stressing that accountability mechanisms are crucial to improving patient care and outcomes.
According to him, establishing an independent monitoring unit and complaint desk within the Ministry of Health, staffed by officers not affiliated with hospitals, will align with global best practices in healthcare quality assurance.
He added that such a system would provide unbiased records of events, protect patients from negligence, and shield medical practitioners from false allegations.
Ibemeka further highlighted lapses in commitment among some staff in government hospitals and argued that proper monitoring would enhance discipline, improve service delivery, and save more lives.
He also advocated for the installation of CCTV cameras in hospitals to aid monitoring, improve response to critical cases, and reduce workplace violence.
Speaking in favour of the motion, Hon. Noble Igwe representing Ogbaru 1 constituency emphasized that the proposal went beyond the installation of CCTV cameras.
He stressed the need for an independent monitoring unit with the authority to conduct unscheduled inspections of hospitals to ensure compliance and responsiveness, particularly during emergencies.
However, an amendment to the motion was moved by Hon.Tony Muobuike representing Aguata II constituency, who proposed that the monitoring framework be extended to all state government hospitals rather than being limited to selected facilities.
The amendment was seconded by Hon. Noble Igwe and subsequently adopted by the House.
Other lawmakers that spoke in favour of the motion are Hon. Patrick Okafor representing Onitsha North II constituency, Hon. Ikenna Ofordeme representing Ekwusigo constituency,
Hon. Jude Akpua representing Njikoka II, and Hon. Obi Nweke representing Anambra East constituency.
Gloria is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
