From Ebohon Joan
The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), in collaboration with the University of Benin (UNIBEN), has graduated 123 postgraduate students at its 10th convocation ceremony, while the Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu, has called for a strategic partnership with the Edo State Government to improve healthcare delivery across the state.
Prof. Ize-Iyamu made the call during a courtesy visit to the Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, where she highlighted key areas for collaboration between UBTH and the state government.
She identified the establishment of community dental clinics in selected primary healthcare centres across four local government areas as one of the proposed initiatives to improve access to oral healthcare at the grassroots.
Other areas of collaboration include coordinated responses to mass casualty incidents, infectious disease control and the operationalisation of the state-owned oxygen gas plant in Usen, Ovia South-West Local Government Area.
The UBTH chief medical director stressed the importance of improving access to oral healthcare in communities, noting the need to bring essential dental services closer to residents at the grassroots.
Responding, Dr. Oshiomhole appreciated Prof. Ize-Iyamu for the visit and expressed optimism that the proposed partnership between UBTH and the Edo State Ministry of Health would yield positive results.
He noted that ongoing disease surveillance efforts could benefit from enhanced collaboration, adding that the partnership would help improve public health services and strengthen the state’s healthcare system.
The graduation of the 123 postgraduate students by NILDS-UNIBEN and the proposed UBTH-Edo State healthcare collaboration highlight ongoing efforts in education, institutional development and the strengthening of public services.
