Obaseki tasks Edo residents on telemedicine

…announces contest to mark Democracy Day
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, launched the state Telemedicine Hub at Ugbor Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Oredo Council of the state.

Obaseki, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie, highlighted the benefits of the programme to residents of the state and commended volunteers, particularly the Association of Nigerian Physicians in America (ANPA) for their shared commitment in giving back to their homeland.

He stated that the government remained determined to decentralise the healthcare system and commit to the noble cause of saving lives.

Obaseki said: “If not for the volunteers, most of the beneficiaries would not have been able to pay for the free services,” he said.

He also said the government focused on three major areas when it assumed office in 2016, and thanked God that the vision had gradually been fulfilled.

In her remarks, the wife of the governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, said her passion to reward the goodwill of voters in the state during the last governorship election was her motivation to attract the project.

She hailed volunteers for their commitment, adding that a total of 10,000 patients got medical attention during the one-week outreach in the state.

Dr. Philip Osehobo, ANPA medical outreach champion, listed the objectives of telemedicine as a compliment of the recent ANPA medical outreach to the state.

He said the group and the government had delivered on its mandate through the partnership through cost effective medication with patients despite the initial hitches they encountered in the line of duty.

MEANWHILE, the state government has announced a creative writing contest for private and public schools across the state to mark this year’s Democracy Day.

The competition is organised by the state Ministry of Communication and Orientation in collaboration with the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo-SUBEB).

With the topic, ‘Democracy and the Nigerian Child,’ the essay competition is organised to harness the creative writing skills of students in the state.

The contest is open to pupils in senior primary (primary four to six) and junior secondary classes (JSS one to three) in all public and private schools in Edo.

The essay competition is expected to take place across the 18 councils of the state, with the award ceremony scheduled for Monday, June 13.

A statement signed by the Director of Orientation and Chairman of the contest’s organising committee, Mrs. Rose Imonike, revealed that the grand finale/awards ceremony would take place at Sir Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, in Benin City.