We welcome all the ever steadfast comrades, citizens of our great nation and residents of Edo state, members of the press, distinguished ladies and gentlemen to this press conference.

The attention of leaders and members of Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO) has been drawn to what seemed like a rumour but now seeming true of a purported plan by the Edo state government of permanent closure of the Edo Central Hospital which has served the lower class of the society over the years.

Further information and investigations have also revealed that there have never been employment of doctors since the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki came on board, talk more of training and retraining of medical personnel of the Edo Central Hospital till this moment. The government has not improved anything about the hospital, rather it was demolished to pave way for a museum project that has no direct bearing on the welfare of the people of Edo State .The pregnant women unit (Maternity) and other skeletal service delivering units by the hospital that were relocated to the Sickle Cell building in GRA is being penned down for total closure.

Most recently is the sharp increment of hospital bills, like case file which used to be N6000 (six thousand naira) has been increased to N15000 (fifteen thousand naira) this is just example of the increment that touches everything which has further contributed to the pains of the common man in Edo State. As we speak Edo state do not have Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the state hospital which finally suggests that healthcare is gone and of no interest or importance to the government of the day.

It should be noted that, our forebears established the central hospital in such a strategic location for easy access and affordability for the people. What the government led by Mr. Godwin Obaseki currently doing is a far departure from it, and this is anti-people, wicked and a devalue for the lives of Edo people and residents respectively.

One would think the new hospital built using tax payers’ money by the former governor of Edo state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would have been equipt with modern health equipment as an expansion of the Edo Central h ospital to boost the government health facility in the state by this OBASEKI’s administration as at when he took over in 2016, instead it was surreptitiously privatized by him, which has become far from the reach and affordability of the poor.

In the light of the above, we reject in its entirety the total close down of Edo Central Hospital and recent increased in Hospital bills of the average and poor Citizens in Edo State, using the Edo Central Hospital facility.

We also like to let the Edo State Government and the general public know that, if this Hospital is closed down finally, Edo will be the only state in Nigeria who do not have a state owned Central Hospital.

OUR DEMANDS:

1. That the governor comes out openly and tell Edo people the state of Edo central hospital as at today
2. A reversal of all the astronomical increment of charges in the public hospital for easy access and affordability by commoners.
3. The hospital should as a matter of urgency be restored with functional equipment.
4. Doctors should be employed to cover the current shortage being experienced.
5. There should be training and retraining of all medical personnel in the hospital

We would like to remind Mr. Governor his action or inaction on the health issues raised is capable of having far reaching impact on the forthcoming governorship election and his party if ignored, and we will employ everything within our reach to let Edo People know the Evil this Administration has done to them in the Health Sector in Edo State as life is of very great value to God and Man as well as EDOCSO.

Governor Godwin Obaseki may have done his best in Edo state, he should leave the Central Hospital in the level he has reduced it to, since his tenure expires in few months time for whoever takes over from him to bring it to life for the good people of the state.

We want to say thank you Edolites for your patience and hard work so far, together we shall ensure a better health system tomorrow for Edolites and not this present better yesterday that we are currently experiencing.

Let’s not be discouraged by the show of ineptitude and insensitivity of our leaders but focus on taking back our Health system from the hands of greedy politicians who takes IGR above human lives.

God Bless The
Federal Republic Of Nigeria!

God Bless Edo State!

God Bless Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO)

God Bless Us All Edolites.

Thank you.

SIGNED:

Leftist Austine Enabulele
Interim TEC Chairman
Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO)

Leftist Grace Okike
Interim TEC Secretary
Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO)