Prof. Chituru Godwill Orluwene has been appointed the new Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).
Orluwene, an indigene of Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, was until his appointment the Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University (RSU), Port Harcourt.
A professor of Medical Pathology, Orluwene graduated from the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) in 1995. He began his academic career as a lecturer at UNIPORT before moving to Rivers State University a few years ago, where he rose to become Provost of the College of Medical Sciences.
He succeeds Prof Henry Ugboma, whose tenure as CMD of UPTH was marked by a prolonged political face-off with the former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Wike was among the first prominent Nigerians to congratulate Orluwene following his appointment, which was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the FCT Minister hailed the appointment, describing it as a well-considered decision by President Tinubu.
Wike thanked the President for appointing “yet another worthy Rivers State indigene” into a key federal position, noting that the President had consistently shown goodwill towards the state and its people.
“President Tinubu has consistently demonstrated his love for Rivers State and its people, and we will keep supporting him to continue with his good governance,” Wike said.
He described Orluwene’s appointment as “putting a round peg in a round hole,” and urged the new CMD to deploy his wealth of experience to further improve the standard of healthcare delivery at UPTH in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Wike also expressed appreciation to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, for recommending Orluwene for the position.
“I congratulate Prof. Orluwene on this appointment and urge him to work collaboratively with all stakeholders in UPTH to ensure the continued delivery of quality healthcare services to Nigerians,” the minister added.
Orluwene’s appointment has been widely welcomed by stakeholders in the health and academic sectors, who see it as a fresh opportunity to strengthen leadership and service delivery at one of Nigeria’s foremost teaching hospitals.
