By GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

BENIN — EDO State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has thrown its weight behind the 21-day ultimatum given to the state government by the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, to address the deplorable condition of health institutions in the state. It  described the ultimatum as timely and a welcomed development.

State Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, who addressed newsmen in Benin, yesterday, shortly after hosting widows and others in the state to an end of year party, also commended the courage and leadership of the state NMA Chairman, Dr. Emmanuel Ighodaro, for calling on the government to improve on the state of infrastructure in government health institutions.

He said: “From what the NMA is saying about the deteriorating state of our health institutions, all that I have been saying about our hospitals have been confirmed. We read in the media that at the General Hospital, Agenebode, a sick patient was operated upon with a flash light.

“Again, for the NMA to come out to say that Edo State has only 150 medical doctors in its service for a population of 3.5 million people is not enough and this is unacceptable,” he said, adding that government has a responsibility to address the deplorable state of health institutions in the state in the interest of the people, who patronise the institutions.

Orbih said that a committee set up by the PDP to assess the grievances of the medical doctors in the state, showed that their grievances are genuine, noting that  95 percent of the state hospitals have no ambulances for emergency calls.

Insisting that PDP has come up with constructive and sustainable programmes to assist women in the state, he called on the government to put in place a sustainable policy that would assist the people and improve on their welfare.