By Correspondent | Benin City | July 2026
The University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH and Independent Television and Radio, ITV/Radio have agreed to a strategic partnership aimed at improving access to quality healthcare for staff of the broadcast organization.
The agreement was reached during a courtesy visit by the management of ITV and Radio, led by the Managing Director, Engineer Elvis Obaseki, to the hospital’s management team headed by the Chief Medical Director, Professor Idia Ize-Iyamu at the UBTH complex in Benin City.
Speaking during the visit, Engr. Obaseki said the initiative was borne out of the need to prioritize the health and well-being of media professionals who, due to the demanding nature of their job, often have little time for regular medical attention.
He noted that media practitioners work round the clock to keep the public informed, educated and entertained, “often at the expense of their own health,” and therefore require accessible and reliable healthcare services.
In her response, the Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu, commended the management of ITV and Radio for the visit and highlighted some of the milestones recorded by her administration in less than one year in office.
She disclosed that the hospital has undergone significant transformation focused on improving service delivery, expanding access to quality healthcare and strengthening public confidence in the institution.
Prof. Ize-Iyamu immediately approved the request for collaboration, stressing that the health of media professionals is critical to nation-building. She assured the ITV/Radio team of UBTH’s commitment to providing quality healthcare to members of staff despite the demands of their profession.
The CMD also congratulated Independent Television and Radio on its almost 30 years of uninterrupted broadcasting, describing the organization’s contribution to information dissemination and national development as commendable.
Prof. Ize-Iyamu used the opportunity to appeal to members of the public to refrain from actions and comments capable of tarnishing the image of the teaching hospital. She reiterated that UBTH has been strategically repositioned to deliver efficient and people-centred healthcare services to all segments of society.
The courtesy visit, which had top management officials of both organizations in attendance, ended with the exchange of gifts as a symbol of goodwill and the beginning of what both parties described as a “mutually beneficial partnership.”
Professor Idia Nibukun Ize-Iyamu made history in August 2025 by becoming the first female CMD in the 52-year existence of UBTH.
