How COVID-19 outbreak transformed Edo’s healthcare delivery- Obaseki

The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, stated on Wednesday that his administration’s significant achievements in the health sector were influenced by the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.

The governor noted that with the pandemic’s onset and the precarious state of the healthcare system, not only in Edo but across Nigeria, it became imperative to develop a responsive and decentralised healthcare system.

Governor Obaseki, speaking while commissioning the rebuilt Edo State College of Health Sciences and Technology in Benin City, said that his experience during COVID-19 inspired him to rebuild the College, originally established 60 years ago, to train healthcare personnel capable of responding to emergencies like the pandemic.

He added that his government conceived the idea of decentralising healthcare delivery across the state by establishing numerous Primary Healthcare Centres.

Obaseki reiterated that he had no regrets over demolishing the Benin Central Hospital complex, as 10 well-equipped primary health centres had been established in the three Benin metropolitan local government areas to serve the local communities.

He noted that his administration has upgraded the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, equipping it with modern facilities to make it competitive with any hospital in the country.

The governor added that the expectation for the rebuilt College of Health Sciences and Technology was to train healthcare personnel in all fields, ensuring the state would not be short of health workers in any part of the system.

Obaseki explained, “COVID-19 opened my eyes to the state of healthcare in Edo State and Nigeria. What was frightening was not COVID-19 itself but our ability to respond to the pandemic.

“I was discussing with a friend during COVID-19 and said, if something serious happened, we couldn’t just leave Nigeria, even with all the wealth and planes available for treatment.

“The lesson I learnt from COVID-19 is that we must build our healthcare system. Healthcare is not just about hospitals and infrastructure; it is a system built around people trained to deliver services. Unfortunately, our Schools of Nursing and Colleges of Health Sciences had no accreditation and were shut down.

“I had to bring down the Central Hospital, and I have no regrets. In its
place, we have over 10 primary health centres serving the population one hospital once covered,” Obaseki said.

According to him, “In 2020, I vowed that if God allowed me to survive COVID-19, I would refurbish all health institutions in the state. Look at what we have achieved in Oredo, Amagba, Evbuotubu, and across the state with these health centres.

“Nigeria has more than 12,000 political wards, and policy states there must be at least one health centre in each ward so that no one has to travel far or spend more than 15 to 20 minutes to reach a healthcare centre.”

“That is what we are doing in Edo. With nearly 200 wards, and an average of 10 health workers needed per primary health centre, we need at least 2,000 workers. But where do we train them? Nowhere. Nigeria needs over 250,000 health workers for its primary healthcare system,” Obaseki reiterated.

The governor added that developing any system, whether health or agriculture, also requires contributions from skilled middle-level manpower.

“Yes, we need doctors, but after the doctors have attended to patients, the nurses, pharmacists, and other health staff take over.”
Speaking at the event, the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, commended Governor Obaseki for his foresight in transforming the school into a world-class institution.

He noted that education is key to human development, adding that healthcare is critical to human survival.

“When I saw the transformation of this institution, it reminded me of the
similar challenges we face in Zamfara, and I am pleased my brother has achieved this for Edo.

“Education is essential for human development, and healthcare is central to our daily lives.

“It is vital to build a better society and strengthen healthcare facilities to meet health challenges that communities may face now and in the future.

“I thank you for this remarkable edifice; you have made us proud. This is what the dividend of democracy is all about: leadership with clear vision,” the Zamfara State governor said.

Governor Lawal also proposed an exchange programme between the two states, allowing Zamfara to send some of its health workers to Edo’s college for further training.

A highlight of the event was the matriculation of a new class of undergraduates into the college, the first of its kind in many years.