Mrs Betsy Obaseki , Wife of Edo Governor, has called on Federal Government to give priority to healthcare delivery in order to stem brain drain syndrome in the nation’s health sector.
Obaseki made the call on Thursday at the inauguration of Eye Clinic and Health Assessment Clinic held at the Benin Medical Care Hospital, a subsidiary of the Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) Group, in Benin.
The governor’s wife regretted that medical personnel were emigrating from the country due to poor working environment in the health sector.
She said that having more facilities like the Benin Medical Care, with state-of-the art facilities, would help meet the health needs of Nigerians and as well reduce medical tourism.
Obaseki said, “With good governance, we can have more health facilities in the country and reduce the huge brain drain going out in the health sector.”
She however, commended Dr Godwin Ehigiamusoe, the Chairman, Board of Directors, Benin Medical Care and Chief Executive Secretary of LAPO, for investing massively in the healthcare of Nigerians.
“People like you are rare; who exhibit the heart and mind of a true leader. You are a man, who in his small space, thinks about how to meet the needs of people.
“People should learn to be patriotic like you; we want to see more Nigerians like you; uplifting the poor and providing heath care,” the governor wife said.
She said that the Gov. Godwin Obaseki-led administration was working to revamp the heath sector in Edo through investment in primary healthcare, Telemedicine and improved healthcare service delivery.
In his remarks, Ehigiamusoe, said the hospital, to a large extent, had realised the aim of its establishment.
According to him, this is centred around best medical personnel and services, cutting edge facilities and affordability.
He said d that eye care was a critical aspect of healthcare, hence the investment in a one- stop shop eye clinic, as well as an assessment clinic.
the Chairman said that the next phase of the hospital’s activities was to address the health needs in the rural communities through outreaches and referrals.
Commenting, Dr Oluwagbemiga Durojaiye, the Chief Medical Officer, Benin Medical Care, urged the people to embrace preventive healthcare as a lifestyle.
Durojaiye said the hospital had offered over 60,000 consultations, 800 surgeries and more than 500 deliveries wth no single maternal mortality since inception in 2019. (NAN)