By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City.
Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu has said that there should be no boundaries if there is a desire to do good.
The deputy governor stated this yesterday during the commissioning of the Edo State University Uzairue comprehensive health centre located at Ivioghe, Etsako East Local Government area.
The deputy governor who was represented by the Acting chairman/head of the Local Government Administration, Dr. B. E. S. Matthew said that the singular act of the University is a confirmation of the belief that some organizations still believe that they have an obligation to give back to the people as part of their corporate social responsibility.
“The modern comprehensive health centre built and equipped for Ivioghe community and adjourning communities by the university is a further demonstration that there should be no boundaries if there is desire to do good”.
He said that the local government is willing and ready to partner with the university to ensure that the comprehensive health centre is put to maximum use to deliver on its mandate to the people, the students of the university and by extension the local government.
“The important of this health centre would serve as a complement to an already existing ones in the community as there cannot be more than enough health facilities for any communities as they say, health is wealth”.
He however implored the people of the community to see the project as their own that needs to be protected from vandals.
In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor, Engr. Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor thanked the state government for her continuous support to the university saying that without which the university would not have recorded the successes so far record.
He said that as part of the condition for the training of the medical students, the Medical and Dental Council stipulated that a comprehensive health centre should be established to be used for rural posting of the medical sciences students, hence, the establishment of the health centre.
He further disclosed that as part of the commissioning, the collage of Medical Sciences of the university has put together a one week free medical outreach to take care of minor surgeries and treat ailments from the host community and its environs.
He added that the comprehensive health centre has recorded its first delivery of a bouncing baby boy on Sunday January 23rd, 2022.
While expressing the university management appreciation to the host community for donating the vast land to the university free of charge which the health centre is sited, said others were demanding huge sum of monies for the land.
On his part, the Provost College of Medical Sciences, Prof Sylvester Idogun said that the facilities was purposely built for the training of the University Medical students as part of the requirements by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
He said that the facility have services for out patient, areas for admission male and female separate wards; minor theatre for surgeries and labour room for delivery.
Prof Idogun said that the facility if properly utilized would not only be for training but would also be for health services delivery to all the communities around.
He however advised the communities to take the golden opportunity provided by the university and by extension Edo state government.
“it is your facility, take it as your own, see it as your own facilities so that when you come here, you will say this is my own facilities”, he added.
“A time will come that you will be expected to hold this facilities, have a representative in the management of the running of the centre so that all the challenges and the health needs of your people may be facing can be channeled and be taking care of by the management of the health sector “.
He thanked the host local government and enjoined the local government to give maximum support center so that it can grow and to be able to deliver health services to the people.
High point of the event was the cutting of the tape by the representative of the deputy governor, cultural display by the host community and good will massages from the royal fathers, commissioners for health and education as well as President General of Oghe Okugbe Development Union, Worldwide.