OSHIOMHOLE TACKLES CANCER WITH ULTRA-MODERN HOSPITAL

Bereaved Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, laid the foundation for the building of a brand new hospital that would be equipped with state of the art equipment, which includes a cancer screening unit. It will be located at the Central Hospital, Benin City.

The Governor who was at the ceremony with his children, said he had to cut short his mourning to lay the foundation, which according to him, was one of the best moves that would satisfy his late wife, Clara.

He vowed that the state government would find the resources to equip the hospital with not only cancer screening equipments but with others that would detect other ailments.

The Governor who spoke passionately about his resolve to ensure good health care for the people of the state to avoid similar incidents where the First Lady died due to the fact that the cancer was not detected earlier, said, “After all that we have gone through in these past few days and even what we are still passing through now, the best tribute that I can pay to my late wife is that my first assignment in office even in this period of mourning, will be something that has to do with the health and well being, not only of the good people of Edo State but for all Nigerians.

“Because my wife was a victim of breast cancer, I thought that rather than engage in endless lamentation and sorrow over what we cannot change, that God has done his purpose of making me a widower this time as a governor who has responsibility to apply resources of state to address the challenges of the society.”

I thought that my first assignment today, resuming work after the funereal ceremony will be to lay the foundation stone of a brand new hospital which when completed will be equipped with facilities that will enable our people men and women to have access to the necessary facilities and equipments for screening and early detection for cancer, not only breast cancer but other forms of cancer.

“ I have been well informed of two of my children who are doctors that yes cancer is a terminal disease only when it is not detected early enough. So my hope and prayers is that when we complete this hospital we must create a unit where we will put in the necessary facilities to provide access to our people rich or poor to regularly take advantage and re_establish their status health wise.

The idea of this hospital started when my first visit as Governor, and I went round some of the walls I was touched by what I saw.

“First the equipment that was procured few months back before I was sworn in, procured at inflated prices and it was obvious that those equipment were used ones. I remember some one showed me the x tray room, the x tray machine was procured in 2008 or 2009 and looking at it looks like what Mongo Park used to carry out inspection. And I saw some opticians who were using personal equipments that are even very old” he stated.

The Governor added that “Like I have always explained my lot is not to join our people to lament the way which our society is decaying, I made up my mind that my own responsibility is to address it.

It was based on that that I said we will build state of the art hospital equipment that has been installed at the Stella Obasanjo hospital. And I was happy when the CMD told that some of those facilities does not exist any where else in Nigeria. And it shows how much that we can do if we have will to act in the public interest.

We never have all the money that we need but we have the determination to find the resources that we will use to provide the basic amenities for our people”.