The Edo State government has upgraded the Auchi General Hospital to Edo University Teaching Hospital as part of efforts to boost medical training in the institution.
Speaking during the flag-off of a three-day free medical outreach as part of activities lined up for the formal takeover of the hospital yesterday, the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, said the hospital would bring quality healthcare closer and accessible to the people of the area.
Shaibu, who was represented by Mrs Josephine Eshemohai Ozor from the state’s Ministry of Finance and Budget, said the upgrade of the hospital became imperative in order to offer quality medical services to the people of the community and its environs.
He said the state government had embarked on upgrading the hospital to a teaching hospital with state-of-the-art equipment, advising the people to make themselves available for treatment.
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Also speaking, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Sylvester E. Idogun, said the hospital had been upgraded from one unit to four units with specialised services.
He said the hospital would run 24 hours services and appealed to the community leaders to help guide and protect the facilities.
Earlier, the vice chancellor of Edo State University, Uzairue, Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor, said the hospital had employed about 26 full-time consultants and 25 honourary consultants in pathology, pharmacology, obstetrics, and neuro and plastic surgeons among others.