The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to caring for vulnerable persons in the state, especially children and the elderly.
The governor gave the reassurance during a courtesy visit by the management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), at Government House, in Benin City.
Obaseki said his administration fully supports the setting up of a Geriatric Centre in Edo State to help provide adequate care for elderly persons, noting, “We will all grow old and we need to think of how we will be treated when we are old. I support this initiative totally and we will support the setting up of the Centre as it will help develop knowledge-base on how to help and treat elderly persons.”
He commended UBTH for being an integral part of the state’s health ecosystem, assuring the management of the hospital of the state government’s continued partnership in the interest of Edo people.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director, UBTH, Prof Darlington Obaseki, commended the governor for promoting patients’ access to healthcare through the setting up of modern primary healthcare centres across the state.
He said the visit is to officially invite the governor to attend a ceremony to mark the sixth-year anniversary of geriatric services in the hospital, the Training of the Trainee Programme (TOT) and the Elder-friendly Hospital Initiative.
He urged for the support of the state government in the establishment of a Geriatric Centre in the state to enable the hospital to improve on its care for the elderly.
The CMD said about five per cent of Nigerians are above 60 years but with a health burden which put pressure on hospitals, noting the dearth of geriatricians in Nigeria.
Prof. Obaseki said UBTH has decided to take the lead in the training of healthcare workers to care for the elderly.
