Edo State Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response Technical Committee, Rt Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, has said the state government is upgrading the Stella Obasanjo Hospital into an internationally-rated health facility that would boost medical tourism in the state.
The deputy governor said this while inspecting the ongoing refurbishment of the main isolation ward at the health facility, being repurposed to manage different stages of COVID-19 cases in the state.
Comrade Shaibu, who was conducted round the ward, expressed satisfaction with the pace of work, noting that the upgrade would soon be complete so that the facility can admit more patients.
According to him, “I am here to check the level of compliance with our agreement on when the centre should be ready. We have set a target for that. The work is already near completion. We are only having the finishing touches on the equipment and installation.
The deputy governor said the ongoing upgrade of the facilities for COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 era would transform the state into a hub for medical tourism, as the facilities in the state can now meet global standard.
“With what we have done, it is no longer about the physical structure, but the calibre of equipment we have. We are looking beyond COVID-19,” he said.
He, however, admonished Edo people to comply with the state government’s directives and go for tests and other clinical examination at the COVID-19 screening and testing centres across various health facilities in the 18 local government councils of the state.
