From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Paramount Ruler of the Tiv nation, the Tor Tiv, HRM, Orchivirgh Professor James Ayatse, has stated that the practice of modern medicine needs a strong equipment support without which it will not be effective.
The Tor Tiv has, therefore, called on medical experts and companies from within and across the globe to support the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), with equipment to enable them render the desired quality healthcare.
He made this call on Thursday during the International Health Investment Summit and Scientific exhibition organized by the management of BSUTH in Makurdi.
The Tor Tiv, who is a professor of Biochemistry with special focus on applied biochemistry and disease and also a fellow of the Medical Laboratory Sciences from United Kingdom, (UK), said no matter what skills you possess, you may not be able to do your best without equipment as they help in the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment.
Addressing participants at the exhibition, most of who came from outside the country, Ayatse said “This hospital needs support, bring in your equipment and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and give conducive terms for the hospital to be able to work with them to ensure we have a modern hospital where diagnosis will no longer be a guess work but where out doctors have equipment they need to do accurate diagnosis and treatment.”
While expressing joy for being part of the scientific exhibition, the Tor Tiv said he came deliberately to identify with Governor Hyacinth Alia for the wonderful interventions he is making in the teaching hospital and supporting it.
He said he was also on ground to also support the CMD, Dr Stephen Hwande, whom he said is his son, for changing the narrative of the hospital since his appointment.
“So I felt coming to the exhibition will be a loud statement to say I appreciate what he is doing and we are behind him, and he has all the royal blessings to move on and take the hospital where it should be. I have come to identify with the science in medical practice and what I have seen here tells me that this hospital is very serious now.”
The Tor Tiv also expressed happiness with the presence of pharmaceutical companies saying no matter how accurate the diagnosis is, in treatment, if we end up with fake drugs whatever the doctors would be doing would not work.
While noting that the hospital needs a complete team, he said “I have come in support of the hospital and it’s our dreams that under Governor Hyacinth Alia, this hospital will become a reference point not only in the North Central but the whole of Northern Nigeria and in Nigeria as a whole.”
He appreciated Governor Alia for what he is doing to support medical practice in the state urging all medical students and doctors to reciprocate the good gestures of government and ensure that Benue state has health services comparable to none.
The Deputy Governor, Barr. Sam Ode, commended the CMD for his initiative in turning the hospital into a one stop hospital for healthcare.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in his office, Mrs Felicia Yobo, Ode praised the plan to set up a cancer treatment center saying many people have lost their loved ones due to cancer.
He said with the laudable initiatives to reposition the hospital, soon there shall be no more referrals from BSUTH to other state or outside the country.
He urged the hospital staff to support the management to ensure that it takes the hospital to where his boss, the Governor wants it to be.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director CMD, BSUTH, Dr Stephen Hwande, while welcoming his guests said inn health care, it is better to be healthy than to be wealthy.
He said there was need to have one hospital that can compete with any hospital in the world and one that can take care of kidney needs, cardiac needs, cerebral needs, transplant needs among others saying it will be a collective failure for Benue and North Central at large not to try.
He had appealed to the Tor Tiv to use his royal strength to galvanize support for the development of the hospital pledging that any fund that comes to the hospital will be used judiciously as he would not mind committing his personal money, if the needs arise, to develop the hospital.
This how leadership and being a father should be. This alone will heal the patients in the ward. He also appreciated members of the state House of Assembly and those from outside the country.
Hwande appreciated the Tor Tiv for demonstrating purposeful leadership, gracing the occasion with his royal presence and for giving his royal blessings.
According to the CMD, over 30 companies, some from Netherlands, China, some African countries, Nigerians in Diaspora, grace the occasion with a company promising give the hospital a linear accelerator.
Linear accelerator is the best diagnosis equipment for the treatment of cancer anywhere in the world.