The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Tuesday, launched the state’s telemedicine hub, with a promise that his government will sustain reforms and projects to guarantee improved access to affordable, efficient and quality healthcare to Edo people.
The state government recently commenced the treatment of patients with the use of telemedicine as a follow-up to the earlier free medical outreach programme organised by the government in partnership with the Association of Nigeria Physicians in the Americas (ANPA).
Obaseki, during the official launch of the hub, said the facility will further bolster the government’s efforts at improving healthcare and ending medical tourism.
The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., said the state will sustain the partnership with ANPA, ensuring a world-class health system and manpower to guarantee the delivery of efficient and qualitative healthcare services to the people.
He said, “I want to use this opportunity to thank the ANPA officials for the great job they have been doing in Edo. I want to reassure you that in whatever areas that we can help to make this programme succeed, as a government, we will continue to do it.
“That is what we owe our people. The responsibility of every government is to guarantee the security and well-being of every citizen. At the inception of this government, the governor gave priority to primary health care, education and youth employment.”
“It’s our dream to have this standard of primary healthcare centre in each of the 192 wards in Edo State. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the whole world, but if we have this type of facility everywhere, you can imagine how many lives would be saved,” he said.
Earlier, Edo First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki said the free medical outreach programme organised by the state was a way to repay the Edo people for voting en masse for Governor Obaseki and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comr. Philip Shaibu at the September 19, 2020, gubernatorial election.
She noted, “That election was one that practically the whole world was aware of; they were watching for the outcome of that election.
“People called it the mother of all elections and battles in Nigeria. It was a big battle and all kinds of conspiracy against the governor’s team; conspiracies from the place of darkness, but the people of Edo who were in the light and have seen the light upon that team stood up and were determined that the governor and his deputy be reelected.”
“I needed to say a big thank you to Edo people and the only way that came to my mind was through ANPA medical mission,” she added.
On her part, the Edo Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria, who said the government was upgrading primary healthcare centres in the state to meet the healthcare needs of the people, noted, “The primary health care system that we knew and that some of us know, used to be a place where women and children used to gather and receive health talk about pregnancy; they were vaccination and immunization centres.
“However, that was not what PHCs were designed to be, but I am glad that I am in an era where the governor of the state has said that we must get it right.”
