The Edo State University Teaching Hospital has finally kicked off a three-day free medical outreach as part of activities lined up to mark the formal takeover and upgrade of the General Hospital, Auchi.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Philip Shaibu led other government functionaries on Saturday to flag off the outreach mainly designed to bring quality and accessible healthcare delivery to the people of the state, especially those residing in Edo North.
After flagging off the outreach in Auchi, the headquarters of Etsako Local Government Area, Shaibu thanked Governor Godwin Obaseki for the concession of the former Central Hospital Auchi, to Edo State University Teaching Hospital.
Shaibu, represented by Mrs. Josephine Ozor from the Edo State Ministry of Finance and Budget, said the upgrade of the hospital became imperative in order to offer quality medical services to the people of the community and its environs.
He said the state government had embarked on upgrading the general hospital "to a teaching hospital with the state-of-the-art equipment and urged the community to make good use of the facilities by making themselves available for the free medical exercise.
"I want to call on the residents of Auchi community and host community to access the teaching hospital as quality doctors and facilities have been provided in the hospital for their care," the deputy governor said.
Also at the flag-off of the medical outreach, the Chief Medical Director of the Teaching Hospital, Prof. Sylvester Idogun, acknowledged the magnanimity of the state government towards making this dream a reality.
While emphasising the goal to keep upgrading the hospital until it meets an enviable standard, Idogun said the hospital "is to train medical personnel which have been upgraded from one unit to four units with specialised services.
"Today marks the transition of the General Hospital, Auchi, to Edo University Teaching Hospital. The idea behind the upgrade is to train students and render quality health services to residents of the area."
However, the chief medical director promised that the health facility would be open for 24 hours every day with efficient medical practitioners, thereby appealing to the community leaders to help guide and protect the facilities for maximum delivery of quality services.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor of Edo State University Uzairue, Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor said the quality of equipment in the teaching hospital would enhance its functionality and improve the capacity of its personnel to deliver quality healthcare to the people.
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Aluyor said the university "has so far employed about 26 full-time consultants and 25 honorary consultants in different areas such as pathology, pharmacology, obstetrics, neuro and plastic surgeons amongst others.
Appreciating the state government for the handing over of the hospital to the institution, the vice chancellor stated that the teaching hospital "now have a state-of -art-functional facilities to provide world class healthcare services to Edo people".
He said the medical outreach "is part of the social responsibility of the university to give back to the community and to create awareness of the upgrade of the general hospital to a university teaching hospital."
In a goodwill message, the Otaru of the Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh, Ikelebe III, appealed to all sons and daughters of Auchi and Edo North to continue in their unwavering support to make the facility serve its purpose.
The monarch enjoined all medical staff of the teaching hospital to show commitment and have the right attitude to work while delivering quality services to the people.
He also commended the state government for upgrading the hospital to a teaching hospital, promising robust and seamless community relationship with the university, its management and students.
