UBTH @50: Obaseki hails institution’s role in strengthening Edo healthcare

(Nigeria) Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has commended the staff and management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, for their unwavering commitment, dedication, and hard work in providing high-quality healthcare services to the people of Edo State and Nigeria in the past fifty years.

Obaseki, at a dinner organized in honour of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Nigeria, at the Government House, Benin City, reassured the government’s continuous partnership and collaboration with the federal government-owned health institution to strengthen the health system and ensure quality health delivery to Edo people.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, reeled out the gains of the government’s reforms in the health sector, commending the medical centre for bolstering the government’s efforts at transforming Edo State into a health hub.

He said, "We came into a wilderness where you have to cut a part for yourself and fix it. We held various seminars to chart a way forward and today, the Edo State Government, in partnership with UBTH and other medical centres, have been able to chart a new way of doing things in the health sector.”

The governor continued: “During COVID-19, Edo State became a reference point and all our thesis were adopted by the national body because we had a system that was working in collaboration with all the health practitioners in the state.

"As the world keeps evolving and technology has become the new way of doing things, we launched telemedicine last year.”

He added, “UBTH at 50 has become a centre for excellence. We are happy to be a part of the celebration. We are celebrating the past 50 years and setting a new agenda for the next 50 years. We promise to join the CMD and others to chart a new course for the next 50 years.

“UBTH is ours and we have adopted it. The Governor made it clear that as long as there is an institution that gives services to Edo people, Edo State Government will partner to make sure they do well irrespective of the ownership - state, federal, international.”

In his address, the Chief Medical Director, UBTH, Prof. Darlington Obaseki said, “On Friday, May 12th, we will be exactly 50 years and as we celebrate, my team and I took a critical and sacred decision to take the hospital to a greater height in the next 50 years so that in 50 years time, people will also celebrate us just as we are celebrating the founding fathers of UBTH.”