Edo State University, Uzairue, has moved its medical students from Edo Specialist Hospital, in Benin City, to Auchi Central Hospital, Auchi, to bridge the deficiency in medical services in the Hospital.
The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor, discussed this last Monday, at the flag-off of 2nd free medical outreach, organized by the College of Medical Sciences of the institution, in collaboration with the Central Hospital Auchi, for 12 communities in the locality.
No fewer than 20 specialist doctors from different fields were deployed for the exercise, as part of the University’s corporate social responsibility, to give back to the society and communities in the state.
It also served to create awareness for the Central Hospital Auchi, as a teaching facility for the University’s Medical College.
Aluyor disclosed that the College of Medical Sciences in its four years of existence has achieved great feats in many areas.
He explained that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria during the visit for accreditation has approved the Medical students who are in their 500 level to sit for the MBBS part 2 exams in the fields of Pharmacology and Pathology.
“Having observed the deficiencies, the Council advised that the University moved her medical students from Edo Special Hospital, Benin City, to Central Hospital Auchi, on the ground that patients load at the Central Hospital Auchi can be improved and that investment could be made to improve the facilities at the Hospital,” he stated.
According to the VC, with the approval by the Council, the University decided to embark on renovation of the Histopathology Laboratory Complex and extension of the mortuary, as part of the requirements for the final accreditation and effective teaching, learning of the students for their final exams; at the same time make available the doctors to attend to people in Edo North, thereby making the central a specialist hospital.
He disclosed that the Council would be visiting the University for final accreditation, hence, the upgrade of the Central Hospital is to overcome these two deficiencies; an emergency which will benefit the University in several dimension.
He however noted that the University has a Teaching Hospital project that is nearing completion, but that due to the immediate needs to meet up with the training of medical students, the University entered into an agreement to use the Stella Obasanjo Hospital and Central Hospital as Teaching facilities, pending the completion of the project.
“Before this decision to use the Hospital, there were two specialist doctors, but today, Edo University has provided 22 additional specialist doctors. This is a need, not only for the University but to ensure that medical access is closer to the people in Edo north.
“As we have noted, UBTH serves as a specialist for the people in Edo South while Irrua Specialist Hospital serves Edo Central and Edo north doesn’t have any.
Hence, there is a great need for the Central Hospital, Auchi, to be upgraded to also serve the people of the area, thereby reducing the risk of travelling to Irrua for treatment,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor while thanking the state governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki for the continuous support to the university, used the opportunity to solicit the government’s speedy completion of the ongoing Teaching Hospital project in the university.
In his speech, the Provost of College of Medical Sciences, Prof. Sylvester Idogun, emphasized the importance of education, adding: “if you educate a nation or community, you have set the community on the part of progress. Edo state university is educating the people and also delivering healthcare services to the people.”
In his remark, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. (Mrs) Imoisili Udoka, expressed gratitude regarding the partnership with the Edo State University, Uzairue.
She described it as a golden opportunity that would not be missed.
She, however, expressed optimism that some of the challenges facing the Hospital that need to be upgraded will be attended to in no distant time.