Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, on Monday commended Dr Leemon Ikpea for building a 62-bed ultramodern medical centre in Ewatto, Esan South-East Local Government Area of the state, describing the project as a model of private-sector participation in healthcare delivery.
The two officials spoke at the inauguration of the facility, established by Ikpea, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Agbonjagwe Leemon Ikpea Foundation.
Okpebholo said the hospital would improve access to quality healthcare for residents of Ewatto and neighbouring communities, and that the investment demonstrated the importance of private-sector involvement in strengthening healthcare delivery.
“Government alone cannot do it; we need private-sector partners and other individuals to complement public-sector investments,” he said.
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He urged other well-meaning individuals and organisations to emulate Ikpea by investing in projects that would improve the welfare of residents, and charged the management of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital and the medical professionals who would serve at the centre to uphold the highest standards of patient care.
The governor also appealed to the people of Ewatto to protect the facility, describing it as a valuable asset that should be preserved for present and future generations. “Protect this facility and make good use of it. Let it become a place of hope and healing,” he said.
Okpebholo appreciated President Bola Tinubu for supporting efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in Edo State, and highlighted his administration’s interventions, including the recruitment of over 2,000 healthcare workers and the upgrade of more than 65 primary healthcare centres across the state’s three senatorial districts.
He further assured the people that his administration would mobilise contractors to site to complete the Ewatto–Udo road.
Pate described the project as a source of pride for the community and Edo State as a whole, noting that access to quality healthcare remained essential to the development of any society.
According to him, a healthy population is better positioned to contribute to economic growth, adding that farmers, teachers, children and other members of society benefit when healthcare services are accessible and effective.
The minister urged wealthy Nigerians and private-sector organisations to partner with the Federal and state governments to expand healthcare infrastructure and improve service delivery across the country, saying such partnerships would complement public-sector investments and support efforts to transform Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Ikpea said the 62-bed centre was equipped with modern facilities to provide healthcare services to the people.
He urged community leaders, residents and security agencies to take collective responsibility for protecting the hospital, its equipment and buildings against damage and vandalism, stressing that the facility belonged to the community and should be treated as a collective asset to guarantee its continued availability for healthcare delivery.
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