By Tracy Ohovwere
The Federal Government has commissioned a state-of-the-art Oncology Centre at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, in a significant step toward improving cancer care in Nigeria.
The inauguration, held on Thursday, was led by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate. He was joined by the Minister of Finance, Chief Wale Edun; Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris; and the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who was represented by Deputy Governor Hon. Dennis Idahosa.
Other dignitaries in attendance included the Chief of Staff to the Edo State Governor, Chief Gani Audu; Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole; traditional rulers; and senior officials in the health sector.
Prof. Pate described the UBTH Oncology Centre as part of the first phase in a national rollout of 10 oncology and diagnostic centres designed to treat approximately 2,000 cancer patients and handle over 350,000 diagnostic cases annually.
Speaking at the event, Chief Wale Edun expressed optimism in the Bola Tinubu-led administration’s commitment to healthcare development, noting that sustaining progress in infrastructure is now a shared responsibility among stakeholders.
Governor Okpebholo, through his deputy, commended the Federal Government’s intervention and reiterated that the centre would benefit not only Edo residents but the entire South-South region. He assured continued state support for healthcare initiatives.
UBTH’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Darlington Obaseki, noted the increasing burden of cancer in the hospital’s catchment area and the impact on patient outcomes. He said the new facility, equipped with modern diagnostic and treatment technology, will provide comprehensive cancer care. He also acknowledged the partnerships that made the centre possible.
The UBTH facility is one of three new oncology centres commissioned in Nigeria, alongside those in Enugu and Katsina. Together, these centres are expected to serve thousands of patients while also contributing to the training of healthcare professionals nationwide.
