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Tag: University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH)

  • UBTH to provide healthcare services at Okpekpe race

    The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), a premier and multi-specialty healthcare service provider in Nigeria and West Africa is the latest body to join the race of providing services at the 7th IAAF Silver Label Okpekpe international 10km road race which holds next week Saturday in Okpekpe near Auchi in Estako East local government area of Edo state.

    Professor Darlington E. Obaseki, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital says the UBTH is delighted to be associated with an internationally recognized race which has brought so much attention to the hilly and rustic town of Okpekpe and has put Edo State on the map of the world as a destination of sort for sports.

    ”We at UBTH are delighted to be part of this historic race, the first road running event in Nigeria and West Africa to be granted a label status by the IAAF. We are particularly delighted that the heartbeat of the nation, Edo state is playing host to such an event,” said Obaseki.

    Read Also: Okpekpe road race passes dope tests

    The chief medical director has given UBTH’s commitment to ensuring the race is delivered without any casualties.

    ”The UBTH’s partnership will ensure participants at the race get free and quality healthcare before, during and after the race,” said Zak Amodu, the event’s director of organization.

    ”We are grateful to the government of Edo state, particularly His Excellency, governor Godwin Obaseki for providing  the enabling environment for the race to thrive. We are also grateful to UBTH for associating with the race. We promise to deliver another world class event come Saturday May 25 in Okpekpe,” said Amodu.

     

  • ‘Avoid pain killer drugs to prevent kidney damage’

    A Consultant Nephrologist, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Dr. Enajite Okaka, has urged Nigerians to avoid excessive intake of pain killer drugs to prevent kidney damage.

    Dr. Okaka who spoke to newsmen to mark the World Kidney Day in Benin City said some herbs could also be responsible for kidney related problems.

    Okaka said pain killers drugs could cause kidney disease when taken in large amount and for a long period of time.

    According to him, “And you see people whose jobs are largely physical, they tend to end up with body aches and pains at the end of the day, they go to the chemist to buy medicines for body pains.

    “More often than not, they give them a cocktail of pain killers and they take them, they feel so good and relief.

    “So they go back again and again and that can damage their kidney.

    “Some times people come to the hospital and by the time they come with kidney and we discovered that it is from the herb they have taken”, she said.

    Okaka appealed to the federal and state governments to subsidize the cost of treating hypertension and diabetics to enable patients get affordable treament.

    “The government should take care of those things that lead to kidney disease. Common things like hypertension and diabetics. If they can make the treatment of hypertension, diabetics free, people who have them, can get the drugs.

    “There are some persons who are not taken medicines for hypertension even though their blood pressure is high and when you ask them, they will tell you that they do not have money to buy.

    “So if the medicines can be subsidized so that they are cheap, free, more people will treat”, she said.

     

  • Press Bus accident: Edo refurbishes, hands over accidented vehicles

    The Edo State Government has handed over two vehicles that were damaged in the accident involving the Government House Press Corps Bus, to their owners, after refurbishment.

    The refurbished vehicles, a Toyota Corolla saloon car with Registration Number FC 291-APP belonging to Ezeora Obiora, and a Honda Civic saloon car with Registration Number USL 380-AH belonging to Mr. Obi Charles Ifechukwu, were handed over to the Nigeria Police Force at the Government House, in Benin City.

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Taiwo Akerele, said the vehicles were refurbished and handed-over to the Police for onward delivery to the owners.

    He said the handing-over was a fulfilment of the governor’s promise, noting, “The handing over was done as we operate a responsive government that cares for its people and take responsibility for its actions.”

    Obaseki  said the state government took care of the hospital bills of all the victims of the accident as promised, adding “All the victims were adequately attended to as the state government ensured that the medical bills were cleared.”

    He expressed appreciation to the owners of the vehicles for their patience and understanding, adding, “we also appreciate the level of professionalism displayed by the Nigeria Police while investigating the cause of the accident.”

    The Chief Executive Officer, Lady Mechanic Initiative, Sandra Aguebor, whose company refurbished the vehicles, said the state government made real its promise to refurbish the vehicles, adding that the vehicles were in better working condition.

    Recall that a bus assigned to the Press Unit of the Edo State Government House was involved in an accident on its way from an official assignment, on March 14, opposite the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), in Benin City.

    The medical bills of all the victims of the accident were settled by Governor Obaseki when he visited the patients in the hospital, including the bills of a medical doctor, a mother with her five-year-old child, Freeman Okoro, whose cancer treatment has been taken over by the state government.

  • Strike paralyzes activists at IRRUA, UBTH

    Activities were paralyzed at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) following the strike action by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU).

    Doctors were seen attending to patients the hospitals but other staffers were not seen on duty.

    It was learnt that there were plans to discharge patients if the strike lingers.

    Officials of JOHESU at both IRRUA and UBTH could not be reached for comments.

    Public Relations Officer of UBTH, Mr. Uwaila Joshua, said the university’s management would manage the situation.

    He however said the health of the patients would not be jeopardized if the strike lingers.

    “The strike is national strike. We cannot do anything here. What we will is to manage the situation but we will not allow patients die if there is no one to care for them.”

    Read Also: JOHESU commences nationwide indefinite strike

  • Strike: Doctors’ demands unrealistic – Obaseki

    Following plans by the Edo State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), to embark on strike, Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the state government is making arrangement for private health care providers to offer essential services to patients in state government hospitals, as the demands by the NMA are unrealistic.

    Obaseki said this when he received the newly inaugurated members of the Governing Board of the University Of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) at the Government House, in Benin City on Monday.

    He said the state government will write to the national body of NMA as the Edo State chapter of the association “has threatened to shut down the health system in the state following their unrealistic demands.”

    Obaseki said: “We believe that the doctors’ demands are unrealistic, having been part of the steps taken so far to improve the conditions of service of medical doctors in the state. They see what we are doing and yet have threatened to go on strike because I cannot afford to fulfil 100 per cent of their demands.”

    He noted that the doctors are not fair to the state as  “we agree with their demands but cannot afford all the demands now, rather we will spread them across four years of this administration, but the Edo NMA rejected the offer and insists on embarking on strike.

    “We are looking at various ways to execute our health reforms but will not allow anyone to blackmail us. We have been open, honest and have carried NMA along in all our activities till date. We will be talking to private health practitioners to help us and I have told them that I cannot afford all their requests at once. We are already making backup plans to take care of our people, if we are constrained to.”

    Read Also: NMA threatens to go on strike in Edo

  • Accident: Obaseki wishes victims speedy recovery

    …thanks Edo people for prayers

     

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has expressed his gratitude to God and Edo people for their prayers, following the news of the accident involving a bus attached to the Press Unit of the Edo State Government House, on Wednesday, in Ugbowo area of Benin City, wishing the accident victims speedy recovery.

    “I received the news of the accident with great shock, especially when I learnt that a mother and her child of five years of age were involved. We are praying fervently for the quick recovery of everyone involved in the accident.

    “Thankfully, no life was lost. We have taken over the care of the child and his mother and other victims, we are in touch with the management of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where they are receiving treatment,” Obaseki said.

    He added that the few journalists that sustained injuries in the accident have been discharged after routine checks and treatment.

    The governor said he was moved by the torrent of messages and calls from friends, family members, Edo people and residents in general, to him, enquiring about the incident.

    “The calls and messages from people showed how much value we place on our common humanity as accidents can happen to anyone, irrespective of class and status. I appreciate the love and as a government, we will continue to do our best to transform the lives of Edo people and residents,” he added.

    Shortly after the accident on Wednesday, Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, issued a press statement explaining the incident.

    He assured that an official of the state government was sent to the hospital to ascertain the degree of injuries sustained by the victims and interface with the doctors managing the victims.

    Read Also: Three injured in Obaseki’s convoy accident

  • Breaking news: Police kill two robbers in Edo

    Breaking news: Police kill two robbers in Edo

    Two armed robbers were Friday evening shot dead by men of the Edo State Police Command after a failed attempt to rob a man.

     

    The dead robbers were part of a four-man robbery gang that trailed a man from Ughelli in Delta State to a new generation bank in Benin City.

     

    Police sources said the robbers trailed their victim in a grey colour Toyota Corolla car and cornered him while he was leaving the bank with the sum of N500,000 with which he want to use to purchase a car.

     

    The source said the robbers shot their victim in the leg after collecting the money and shot sporadically into the air.

     

    They were however given a hot pursuit by men of Operation Thunder Storm, who were on a patrol in the area,

     

    Two of the armed robbers were shot dead during an encounter at the Evbomore area of Ugbowo, off Ugbowo-Lagos Road, while another member of the gang was arrested.

     

    The stolen money was also recovered.

     

    At press time, the police had cordoned the area and were still searching for the fourth member of the gang.

     

    The victim of the attack was said to have been rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for medical attention.

     

    When contacted, spokesman of the Edo State Police command, DSP Moses Nkombe declined comment, saying he would have to seek clearance from his boss, the Commissioner of Police before he could speak.

  • Varsity don advocates review of Nigeria criminal justice system

    Dr Abiodun Amusan of the Health Services Department, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, has advocated the need to review and reform Nigerian criminal justice system to meet present realities.

    Amusan made this call at the occasion of a one day sensitisation/inauguration Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), in Benin on Thursday.

    Speaking on the topic, “Fumigating Corruption In The Health Sector”, Amusan noted that the present justice system have rendered the fight against corruption ineffective.

    While calling for the enactment of effective laws and policies by government, he urged that corruption should be “criminalized” and should no longer be referred to as “practice” so ICPC should become ICCC.

    He also stressed the need for the immediate review of laws and power enshrined in the constitution of anti graft agencies to empower them for better performance.

    The speaker who noted that corruption in the health sector is infectious, appealed for prompt prosecution of indicted officials.

    He said corruption hinders patients access to health care, adding that corruption adversely affects expected outcome of all health intervention efforts.

    Amusan regretted that corruption trend in Nigeria is on the increase, further said corruption is detrimental to the safety of patients.

    The university don listed corruption in the health sector to include corruption among doctors, nurses, laboratories and corruption among patients.

    He listed the categories of corruption in these departments to include, doctors using official hours to attend to private patients, manufacturing of fake and sub-standard drugs and medical report falsification for a fee or favour.

     

    Others are, collection of illegal fee and medical consumables from patients, preferential searching of case files of favorites and falsification of results for tests not done.

    Speaking earlier, the Commissioner in board of  ICPC in Edo/Delta, Mr Olukile Olusesan bemoaned that most Nigerians who do not engage in corrupt practices directly accommodate it.

    “Our level of tolerance for corruption is amazing.

    “The truth about it is that a sizable number of Nigerians have driven us to a remorseful bus stop where the only way out is to change and support the government lofty programmes for a better Nigeria,” he said.

    The  event was concluded with the inauguration of the UBTH unit of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit, under the chairmanship of Dr Emmanuel Egwaihide.