The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Cancer Centre is now fully operational and providing advanced cancer treatment, including radiotherapy for indigent patients, the Chief Medical Director, Prof Idia Ize-Iyamu, has said.
Ize-Iyamu disclosed this on Monday when she received a newly donated ambulance from the Federal Government to strengthen emergency medical response at the hospital
She described the ambulance as a “walk-in theatre”, saying it would enable medical personnel to provide critical interventions while evacuating accident and trauma victims from incident sites to the hospital
According to her, the cancer centre is equipped with modern technology, including a linear accelerator (LINAC) and a 16-slice CT scanner used to simulate patients’ lesions before targeted radiotherapy
She said the centre was not merely a completed project but a functional facility where patients were already receiving treatment
“If you are poor, you can receive radiotherapy at UBTH through the Federal Government’s Cancer Health Fund and Social Welfare under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope health agenda,” she said
Ize-Iyamu said the fund had significantly reduced the financial burden of cancer treatment and made radiotherapy more accessible to poor patients
She commended the Edo State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, for facilitating the establishment of the centre and the ambulance, saying residents were already benefiting from the initiatives
She also appreciated President Tinubu, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, Idahosa and other stakeholders for their support for the hospital.
Presenting the ambulance on behalf of the Federal Government, Idahosa said the facility was part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery across the country
He said he attracted the ambulance project to UBTH while serving as a member of the House of Representatives representing Ovia Federal Constituency, adding that delays in budget implementation prevented its earlier delivery
Idahosa commended the UBTH management for providing quality care to patients and expressed optimism that the new ambulance would further improve emergency services at the hospital