The Edo Specialist Hospital (ESH), Benin City, has applauded Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo for equipping the hospital with in vitro fertilisation (IVF) facilities, describing the intervention as a major boost to reproductive healthcare and hope for couples experiencing infertility.
The commendation was made on Monday during a press conference and media tour held to commemorate the hospital’s seventh anniversary.
Addressing journalists, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Anthonia Inibokun Njoku, said the governor’s investment reflects his administration’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery across Edo State.
According to her, the newly installed IVF equipment will enable the hospital to provide assisted reproductive services for couples facing fertility challenges.
“In reproductive healthcare, many couples who find it difficult to have their babies will now receive assistance through the IVF programme,” Njoku said.
The CMD also announced that the hospital’s residency training programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology has secured full accreditation from both the West African College of Surgeons and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
She disclosed that the institution recently completed accreditation for its Family Medicine and Dentistry departments, further expanding its capacity for postgraduate medical training.
Njoku attributed the hospital’s steady growth to the support of the Edo State Government, noting that the administration has strengthened healthcare services across the state from the primary to tertiary levels.
She revealed that Governor Okpebholo approved the absorption of 126 contract workers into the Edo State workforce and authorised the recruitment of additional healthcare personnel, resulting in more than 290 direct jobs.
The CMD further announced that the hospital has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mudiame University, Irrua, to serve as a teaching hospital for the training of medical students.
“The partnership strengthens our role as both a healthcare provider and a training institution,” she said.
She added that the hospital now offers Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes.
According to Njoku, Edo Specialist Hospital is also fully integrated into both the Edo State Health Insurance Scheme (EDOHIS) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) platforms, enabling beneficiaries of the two schemes to access quality healthcare services at the facility.
As part of the anniversary activities, journalists were taken on a guided tour of the hospital’s facilities by Dr. Suleman Ozemoka and other officials, providing firsthand insight into the institution’s modern equipment, specialised services and ongoing expansion.
