Tony Osauzo, Benin

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday, has disclosed that wrong diagnosis caused the death of his wife, Clara, and called for a review of Nigeria’s medical system so that doctors treat patients only in that aspect in which they have competence.

Speaking at the Founder’s Day and launch of Endowment fund for the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Oshiomhole said wrong diagnoses could be prevented by government if it provide robust regulation in the health system.

The APC national chairman, who said he was at the event in his private capacity, told the gathering that he would have sued the doctors if it were in another terrain because his wife was a victim of quack medical doctors.

“You visit a hospital, one doctor is Gynaecologist, Psychologist, Paediatric, and the doctor treats everything. My wife was unfortunate to have been diagnosed as having something different while the cancer in her breast was growing.

“This generalised system of medical system is what we must review. It is not the task of government that things are not working. People elect government to make things work. That was why I decided to build what I called five star hospital to replace the decayed Central Hospital. I do hope that one day, that hospital will open and you will see the equipment.

“One thing we need to do is appropriate compensation. When we have the right policy framework and people are paid according to their work, I believe doctors working outside the country will come back,” Oshiomhole said.

Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, hailed the late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and the late Prof. Tiamiyu Bello-Osagie for ensuring local people get access to tertiary health services instead of travelling to Lagos or Ibadan and expressed joy that the UBTH has served the people well.

“In terms of training and research, the UBTH has performed excellently well in collaboration with UNIBEN,” he said.

Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire commended the UBTH management for conceiving the endowment fund.

Represented by Dr. Shaibu Belgore, the minister disclosed that the country lost $1 billion to medical tourism last year, adding that Nigerians seeking medical care abroad was as a result of lack of confidence in the nation’s health system.