On the 12th of March, 2025, the Executive Secretary, Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), Dr. Coulson Oahimire Osoikhia, along with his team including the Director, Essential Drugs and Logistics EDSPHCDA, Pharmacist Valentine Eruaga, Director, Disease Control and Immunization EDSPHCDA Dr Efeomon Eseigbe, Head of Public Relations Unit EDSPHCDA Mrs Nene Olaye, PA to the Executive Secretary, Mr Cyril Ojeabu paid a courtesy visit to the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Darlington Obaseki. They were warmly received by the CMD and members of the UBTH management team.
During the meeting, Dr. Osoikhia expressed his heartfelt appreciation to Prof. Obaseki for his support for Primary Healthcare in Edo State, particularly routine immunization activities and personnel capacity building. He also commended UBTH’s crucial role in handling the disposal of excess medical waste for the primary healthcare system.
Dr. Osoikhia explained that the purpose of the visit was to strengthen the collaboration between UBTH and the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency. He emphasized that both institutions play vital roles in improving health outcomes for the people of Edo State, making teamwork essential.
Contributing to the discussion, the Director, Disease Control and Immunization EDSPHCDA, Dr. Efeomon Eseigbe, also acknowledged the CMD’s continued support. He noted that whenever the Agency reached out, Prof. Obaseki always responded promptly, ensuring that challenges were addressed without delay.
In response, Prof. Darlington Obaseki thanked the Executive Secretary and his team for their visit. He appreciated their recognition of UBTH’s role in supporting the primary healthcare system and assured them that UBTH remains committed to assisting healthcare institutions and organizations in the state, often at little or no cost.
Prof. Obaseki congratulated Dr. Osoikhia on his appointment as Executive Secretary and reminded him of the importance of his role. He encouraged him to identify gaps in the primary healthcare system and find ways to address them.
He highlighted several key challenges:
- Logistics for Immunization Vaccines: UBTH does not receive immunization vaccines and consumables directly. Instead, UBTH covers the logistics costs for accessing the vaccines, which is not ideal.
- Manpower: The State needs to hire more medical doctors to staff the primary healthcare system.
- Specialist Training: The State needs to train its own specialist doctors to ensure a system that prepares manpower to manage primary healthcare facilities upon completing their medical programs.
- Coordination and Referral: There should be improved coordination between primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities in terms of referral structures. Strengthening the secondary health system to create linkages from primary healthcare would prevent overloading tertiary facilities. Ambulances should be provided at primary healthcare centers to transport emergency cases promptly to referral centers.
- System Structure: A well-structured system in primary healthcare, with clear processes, is needed to ensure smooth and efficient healthcare delivery regardless of who is on duty. Facilities should not be closed down entirely for renovations, as this could lead to the loss of institutional memory, hindering effective operations.
To improve collaboration, Prof. Obaseki mentioned that he would reach out to the Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, on the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the State and UBTH. This agreement would allow skilled manpower, such as resident doctors specializing in Public Health, Surgery, and Family Medicine to offer their services at primary healthcare centers to improve capacity and transfer valuable skills.
He concluded by emphasizing the need for medical professionals to support one another, as the ultimate goal is to provide quality healthcare services to the people of Edo State and Nigeria as a whole.
In closing, Dr. Osoikhia expressed his gratitude to Prof. Obaseki for the valuable advice and assured him that the issues raised would be looked into and addressed. He provided an update on staffing, informing the CMD that some doctors are currently undergoing physical verification at the State level and will be deployed to primary healthcare facilities once the process is completed.
Dr. Osoikhia reaffirmed the Executive Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Mr. Monday Okphebholo’s commitment to strengthening the primary healthcare system. He emphasized that the Governor has prioritized the recruitment of healthcare personnel, including doctors, and assured that necessary steps will be taken to fill the identified gaps in personnel management.
