Edo Hospital Better Than Many In Europe, Asia… Oshiomhole Boasts

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said that the
newly constructed state’s 200-bed Central Hospital in Benin, is more beautiful
and will be better equipped than many hospitals in Europe and Asia.

The governor who spoke on Tuesday during an inspection of
the hospital, assured that the 200-bed Central Hospital which has attained 98
per cent completion, will be adequately maintained to ensure its durability and
effective service delivery to the people.

“When I said at the beginning that our intention is to build
what I called a five-star hospital, most people tried to imagine what that
meant, but I am sure just looking at the building, I don’t know of any hospital
in Nigeria, in terms of aesthetics, that has a better appeal than this. And
this is the sort of thing you find in Europe, and some other advanced economies.
If you are in the 21st Century, begin to think as if you are in the 22nd
Century because the world has changed and it will keep changing. The pace of
change will keep accelerating.

“The whole idea is that when a typical Edo person comes from
a village like mine, if he gets in here and realizes that even the environment
psychologically impacts on him and he begins to appreciate that he is
important, he is in the hands of professional healthcare providers, that way,
that forgotten rural man, for once, will have access to modern facilities. You
don’t need to go to London, to India, to Europe to be told how hospitals look
there. I am sure that those of you who may have for one reason or another
travelled, will agree that there are many hospitals in Europe and in India that
are not as beautiful as this.

“And so, I believe that a hundred years from now, this
hospital will not look outdated. You will see that as you look at the internal
finishing, we took into account the conventional challenges you have with public
building, problem of painting and repainting, and with the facials that you
have, you will never need to do repainting, all you need is proper cleaning at
regular intervals.

“The only thing we must now do is to address the critical
issue of the human factor. Once the hospital is open, we must re-engage the
doctors on the rules of engagement. We won’t invest in this kind of facility,
and a doctor comes in to clock in one hour, and goes back to do his private
practice, and then collects a cheque for one month.

“I think we provide a hospital that can provide for
everyone, both the rich and the poor. There won’t be a difference in treatment
for the poor and the rich.”