The Edo Specialist Hospital (ESH), Benin, has commended Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo for providing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) equipment to support couples experiencing infertility, saying the initiative will expand access to reproductive healthcare in the state.

The commendation came on Monday during a press conference and media tour organised to mark the hospital’s seventh anniversary.

Speaking at the event, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Anthonia Inibokun Njoku, praised the governor for what she described as his commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery across Edo State.

She said the newly acquired IVF equipment would provide hope for couples unable to conceive naturally.

“In reproductive healthcare, many couples who find it difficult to have their babies will now receive assistance through the IVF programme,” Njoku said.

The CMD also announced that the hospital’s residency training programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology has received full accreditation from both the West African College of Surgeons and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.

According to her, the hospital also recently completed accreditation for its Family Medicine and Dentistry departments.

Njoku attributed the institution’s progress to the support of the state government, saying the administration had strengthened healthcare services from the primary to tertiary levels.

She said the governor approved the absorption of 126 contract workers into the Edo State workforce and granted the hospital the authority to recruit additional medical personnel, leading to more than 290 direct employments.

The hospital has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mudiame University, Irrua, to serve as a teaching hospital for the training of medical students.

“The partnership strengthens our role as both a healthcare provider and a training institution,” she said.

Njoku added that Edo Specialist Hospital now offers Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes.

She said the hospital is enrolled on the Edo State Health Insurance Scheme (EDOHIS) platform and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) platform, enabling it to provide services to beneficiaries of both state and federal health insurance programmes.

The event concluded with a guided tour of the hospital’s facilities led by Dr. Suleman Ozemoka among others, giving journalists an opportunity to inspect the equipment and services available at the institution.