By Lucky Isibor
The Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua, Edo State, has debunked allegations circulating on social media that the institution is outdated and that walking through its expansive premises exposes patients to greater danger than their ailments.
The hospital described the claims as false and misleading, insisting that its adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and provision of shuttle buses for patients and other users demonstrate its commitment to modern healthcare delivery and patient welfare.
In a press statement published in ISTH News, Vol. 2, No. 13, 2026 edition, and signed by Mr. Aigbokhan Kenneth, the Public Relations Officer of ISTH, Mr. Ohue Odigie Ernest and Dr. Qudus O. Lawal on behalf of the hospital’s management, ISTH said the allegations were inconsistent with verifiable facts about its operations.
Addressing the claim that the hospital was outdated, the management stated that ISTH was among the early tertiary healthcare institutions in Nigeria to adopt and fully deploy an Electronic Medical Records system, which has transformed clinical documentation and administrative processes.
According to the statement, the hospital’s functional EMR system connects several critical service points, including the General Outpatient Department (GOPD), Accident and Emergency Unit, wards, pharmacy and laboratory, enabling electronic handling of patient records, investigation requests, prescriptions, billing and reporting.
“The truth is the direct opposite,” the management declared, describing the portrayal of ISTH as outdated as a misrepresentation of the hospital’s technological and operational progress.
The statement noted that electronic records have significantly improved the speed of clinical documentation, citing a 2024 study on patient waiting time and associated factors at the hospital’s GOPD.
According to the management, the study found that documentation time dropped from 21.10 minutes under the paper-based system to 8.76 minutes with EMR, representing a saving of 12.34 minutes per patient.
It said the study, titled Determination of Patient Waiting Time and Associated Factors at GOPD of ISTH, Irrua, Nigeria: An Electronic Medical Records Setting, was made possible by the hospital’s operational electronic records infrastructure.
The management argued that the figures provided evidence of the practical benefits of digital health technology at ISTH, particularly in improving documentation efficiency and supporting patient care.
Beyond its digital health infrastructure, the hospital also pointed to its research activities and institutional collaborations as further evidence of its standing in the healthcare sector. The statement referenced its reported position in healthcare research rankings by Nature Index, alongside its hosting of the Institute of Viral and Emergent Pathogens, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Clinical Research Network, and the 100 Days Vaccine Mission.
On the allegation that walking through the hospital’s premises kills patients faster than their illnesses, the management described the assertion as malicious and entirely false.
It explained that ISTH operates a fleet of shuttle mini-buses to facilitate the movement of patients, relatives, staff and students across its expansive campus.
According to the statement, the shuttle service operates along key routes connecting the main gate to the GOPD, Accident and Emergency Unit, wards, pharmacy and laboratory, helping patients access essential services without having to trek long distances.
The management said the arrangement was designed to ease movement, particularly for elderly patients, pregnant women, post-operative patients and emergency cases who may experience difficulty walking across the hospital premises.
“No patient is left to walk long distances unaided,” the statement assured, stressing that the shuttle service reflects the hospital’s commitment to making healthcare more accessible and welfare of patients and other hospital users.
The management urged members of staff, students, patients and members of the public to disregard the social media claims and avoid circulating information capable of misleading the public or damaging the reputation of the institution and help circulate the factual account of the hospital’s operations to the public.