Governor Dapo-Abiodun

Adejoke Adeleye/Abeokuta

The Governor of Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has expressed the determination of his administration to reposition the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital to a world class medical facility.

Prince Abiodun who made this known in his office at Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta, while inaugurating an administrative panel on Olabisi Onabanjo university, Ago-Iwoye, said his administration would do all in its power to restore the teaching hospital to its rightful place in the comity of teaching hospitals in the country.

He however urged the committee to judiciously make use of the one month window to review all third party arrangements entered into by the management of the medical facility and determine their level of compliance.

He charged the administrative panel to identify the challenges associated with the institution and come up with solutions that would move the institution forward.

The panel was also mandated to review and recommend programmes and strategies to ensure that the operation of the hospital was self-sustaining and financially independent as well as ensuring that any other review as might be critical to the long term sustainability of the image and productivity of the institution was looked into.

” For these stated reasons, we cannot fold our alms and watch Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in its poor state of affairs, we cannot fold our arms and watch OOUTH, let me assure you all that we will do all in our power to restore OOUTH to its rightful place in the comity of teaching hospitals in Nigeria.

” These administrative panel will therefore help us to identify the challenges associated with OOUTH and come up with recommendations to move the institution forward,” he said.

The governor noting the importance of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital said the institutions wasn’t just an institution of higher learning, but has medical/ teaching facility with special attention because of its status.

The Governor added that the institution which was established 33 years ago, to train medical students and provide medical services to the people of the state, was at a time one of the best teaching hospitals in the country, but he regretted that it is now experiencing dwindling fortunes.

According to the governor, the main terms of reference for the panel will include: Assessing the current operations of the hospital, in line with expectations as a teaching/tertiary institution, Determining the state of facilities of the various units and departments, and Determining quick wins and palliative actions to stem further deterioration of the institution and its facilities.

Other terms according to the governor include, reviewing all third party arrangements in the hospital including Public-Private-Partnerships or other service provisioning arrangement and determine their level of compliance at the time of that engagement and with efficacy but more especially suitability for the intent of the State Government.

In his remark, the chairman of the administrative panel, Dr. Yemi Onabowale said that it was an honour and privilege to serve in the committee, adding that they would start their assignment in earnest and work on the terms of reference given to them.

He also disclosed that the panel would find sustainable solutions to the challenges being faced by the institution in the delivery of excellent tertiary medical care and training of medical professionals, disclosing that a technical support team that would lend the panel technical support to be led by an International Health Care, audit specialist and former manager of the Shell hospital, Dr. Joseph Aliyu had been chosen

The committee has Dr. Yemi Onabowale as chairman, Dr. Folabi Ogunlesi, Dr(Mrs). Dupe Oludipe, Dr. Kehinde Ololade, Alhaji Wasiu Lawal, Mr. Akinola Adekunle, Mr. Femi Akinwunmi and Mr. Olumide Obube, and the Deputy Director, Hospital Services, Ministry of Health, Dr. Solomon Sokunbi as its Secretary.