…New facility would reduce medical tourism – Prof. Agbonlahor
Edo State government is remodelling the Stella Obasanjo Hospital Isolation Centre (SOHIC) to be the best in Nigeria, with state-of-the-art facilities to manage all stages of coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, Governor Godwin Obaseki said at the weekend.
The governor said this while on inspection of the expanded 300-bed isolation facility in Benin City.
Obaseki said a lot has gone into the refurbishment of the hospital, noting that the transformation of the facility has been rapid with the deployment of human and material resources to ensure that it is brought up to standard to hold more patients, especially with rising cases of coronavirus in the state.
“The facility will be handed over upon completion. This is one of the best isolation centres in the country with about 300 beds. It is well-structured with input from some of the best professionals in terms of infectious disease management in Nigeria. These experts are from Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.”
He said the facility is designed to treat cases in the four main categories of infectious disease management, adding, “Category one is the most critical and serious cases, which requires the use of ventilators and respirators. We have forty beds for them. Category two, three and four are none critical cases. They are also accommodated here.”
He noted that there is an area for holding people who are suspected to have contracted the disease but are yet to confirm their status, noting that they will be screened and tested and if the test returns positive, they will then be admitted into the Hospital and separated.
The governor noted that there are wards for male, female and Very Important Personalities (VIP).
“The centre is segmented. They also have quality catering and laundry facilities. The place is going to be comfortable so that people won’t have to be worried when they are going into isolation,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to everyone involved in the COVID-19 response in the state, including the staff of Stella Obasanjo Hospital and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
While praising the state government, a former Vice Chancellor at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Professor Dennis Agbonlahor said the isolation centre at Stella Obasanjo Hospital is one of the best in the country, noting that the state government’s approach is most innovative.
He added that with the investment in the hospital, there would be a reduction in medical tourism from the state.
