The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has hailed the management and staff of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for their contributions to the growth of the state’s health sector in the last fifty years, assuring better support for the Federal Government-owned health institution.

Obaseki said this when he received members of the Central Working Committee of UBTH, who were on a courtesy visit at the Government House in Benin City, on Thursday.

Reassuring the government’s commitment to sustain reforms in the health sector, Obaseki pledged to continue the collaboration with the institution to train quality personnel to deliver efficient health services to Edo people.

He said, “As a government, we have benefited tremendously from having a Center of Excellence in healthcare like the UBTH in our state providing support for Edo citizens through the last five decades.

“UBTH is unique and special to us in Edo State as it has positioned Edo as a health hub following the numbers of health personnel trained over the last five decades, as some have stayed back while others have moved out of Nigeria.

“The Institution has helped build a critical part of what is required to transform any healthcare system in Nigeria which is the people. The institution has built health personnel in great quantity and of the best standards. There are enough reasons to celebrate and use the celebration as an opportunity to reflect and see how to re-enact the purpose. Begin to fix what has not been done right and re-adjust the thinking 50 years ago to the reality of today.”

Obaseki added, “We have no choice but to support you because we don’t see a distinction between a federal or state healthcare institution because the people you are treating or taking care of are citizens of Edo State.

“We appreciate the work you have done and understand the importance of the institution and will take full advantage of the presence of the institution in the State.”

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Dr. Darlington Obaseki who led the delegation while commending the governor for continued support noted, “In the next few days, weeks and months to come, we will be upgrading our infrastructure, having a comprehensive cancer healthcare center and cardiovascular Centre. We will be embarking on free cancer screening for both men and women, subsidize minimal access surgeries to up to 50 percent, execute health screening for Edo State, among others.”