By Cyriacus Nnaji
Dr Benjamin Eze, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of New Evolution Hospitals Limited, with head office on Agor Palace-way, Lagos, and branches across the state, has disclosed that he has been in medical philanthropy for several years.
Eze made the disclosure at the monthly meeting of Igboburuotu Social Club of Nigeria where he is a member, at Rainbow Hall, Ijegun Lagos recently.
Speaking on what compelled him to institute a special medical scheme for Igboburuotu members and their families, he said “I have been in medical philanthropy all through my life, my slogan before I went to school is to cure pain, that is my intention of being a doctor, alleviate the pain of the people, and our Presido, Chief CC Nwokedi have the same ideology, and when I was even working with people, my slogan is treat the people first then later fight for the money.
“So it is not that I am doing it because I am a member of Igboburuotu, it is a natural something. I have been doing it, so if I do it to my brothers, it is also a win-win situation,” Eze stressed.
He also spoke on the fire that gutted his house recently for which Igboburuotu paid him a visit. He said “The house was totally gutted by fire due to high voltage from the public power supply, but I thank God we didn’t lose anybody, my brother that is blind was inside, he was able to come out alive, all glory be to almighty God. I also got some of my documents, certificates, and some international passports, so I am very very happy, I am very grateful for the life He saved for me.”
Eze also spoke on the visit of Igboburuotu members who came to commiserate with him over the fire incident. He disclosed “It was a delight to me because it was something what doing, because when you belong to such an enviable association and you are a big player in that association, you expect such response and here we take ourselves as brothers and sisters, we are not cultists, and we are not ummunna, so we don’t fight for anything, nobody is trying to compete with anybody for anything, we are here to play our parts, it is a laudable organization and their visit was very encouraging because it was out of sincerity.”
Eze also decried medical tourism and Nigeria’s medical system. He said “The issue is that the government does not really want to come out with a policy to effect a change in the medical system, something like the medical system is a deliberate act of a government to make it grow to an enviable position.
“We have individual brilliance but collectively we don’t have the capacity to challenge the external world, so we need a deliberate effort, a calculated attempt to grow the medical system and facilities.
“Look at the Covid-19 Relief Fund, they said we should go and access, doctors are not accessing it; the banks are not giving it, because they know that it is inimical to their own pursuit. So any doctor that says that they received, is already an established doctor, so you are given an established man, but the young men that have ideas, I know what I saw when I went to access it, it was not an easy thing. I fall back to myself and say let’s just continue struggling, so there is no assistance, no support to the upcoming young medical doctors that are the future of Nigeria’s medical system.”
