…As OSSAP-SDGs Unveils 100-Bed Mother & Child Hospital, Other Projects In Oyo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has commended the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire for her commitment to the 2023 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Nigeria and delivery of numerous developmental projects across the country.

The Vice President spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State, during recent commissioning of the comprehensively rehabilitated works at Nigeria’s premier medical facility, the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan undertaken by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs.

Some of the key rehabilitation works undertaken by OSSAP-SDGs and commissioned by the Vice President at the UCH include evacuation and piping of tunnel and reconstruction of Hospital Sewage system and rehabilitation Works at the Pathology & Histology Block; Microbiology Laboratory building; Nursing and Finance Block; the Chief Medical Director’s Block; as well as Works at the Children Emergency Block.

In addition, OSSAP-SDGs also supplied a Toyota High Roof HIACE Ambulance, Constructed 200 Solar Powered Street Light in Hospital Compound while it also provided and installed Hospital accessories at West Block, Pathology and Histology Block of the medical facility.

The comprehensive intervention by OSSAP-SDGs also involved provision and installation of Hospital accessories at South-East Block, Otunba Tunwase Children Emergency Ward; Microbiology South-West Block; Rehabilitation of Mortuary Block; the North-West Block; the Radiography Block & Tailoring Unit; Restaurant and Laundry Unit Block; West-West Block and ITD & Central Records Block.

Also, the Office supplied UCH with 840 Specialised Automated Hospital Beds complete with Mattresses, Pillows & Bedside Lockers; a 250 KVA Soundproof Generator while it also replaced six lifts at the hospital with new ones and 6 UPS.

Also, a 100-Bed Mother and Child Hospital, Doctors’ Quarters and Blocks of 36 Classrooms in Abonde Junior and Senior Secondary School, were also commissioned in Abonde, Ona-Ara Local Government Area the same day.

The commissioning the rehabilitated UCH was attended by the Governor of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde, who was represented by his Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun; the Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, Senator Teslim Folarin; top management of OSSAP-SDGs; the Chairman of UCH Health Foundation, Dr. Olutoyin Okeowo, among others,

Speaking at the event, an obviously impressed Osinbajo noted that “the comprehensive rehabilitation and furnishing of the hospital will guarantee effective service delivery to poor and vulnerable Nigerians. It will equally reduce out-of-pocket expenditure at the point of service delivery.”

The Vice President stated that though the UCH has played crucial roles in the training of medical personnel and other healthcare professionals across the West African sub-region for over 70 years, facilities have not undergone the necessary upgrade over the years. He therefore noted that the interventions by OSSAP-SDGs have helped to overcome the challenge.

“This strategic intervention will address some of the challenges faced by the University College Hospital in the delivery of healthcare services for the teeming Nigerians demanding these services,” Osinbajo said.

The Vice President added that the intervention is “part of government’s commitment to the achievement of the SDGs in Nigeria,” while commending the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire “for this intervention and for her commitment to the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development in Nigeria.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital (UCH), Professor Jesse Otegbayo, said interventions by OSSAP-SDGs has not only helped to tackle the problem of infrastructural decay in the hospital, but has also put the premier healthcare institution in a place in which it can deliver services comparable to those obtainable anywhere in the world.

Speaking specifically on the 100-Bed Mother and Child Hospital and other projects delivered in Abonde community of Ona-Ara Local Government Area, she said the hospital has also been equipped with state-or-the-art facilities. The facilities, as she noted, include among others – Two Operating Theatres; Recovery Rooms; Private and General Wards; Scanning Room; Consultation Rooms and Laboratory. Others include, Ultra-Scan Machine; Vacuum Extractor delivery set; and an Emergency Cart with full compliments.

She reiterated the fact that the 100-bed hospital are among the strategic interventions across the country funded by the Buhari’s administration to deliver interventions needed to fast-track the achievement of the SDGs at the subnational levels.

“Together, these interventions are directly linked to the achievement of SDG-3 on ‘Quality Health and Well-being for all’, as well as other cross-cutting SDGs,” Orelope-Adefulire said while noting that the facility will help to improve health outcomes, especially as related to mothers and children in Oyo State.

“With these facilities, we are confident that we will reduce preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age; as well as reduce the maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births. It is therefore expected that the beneficiary institution and Oyo state government will make judicious use of the facilities in a sustainable way for the benefit of the citizenry,” said the Presidential Adviser.

“At a more personal level, this is gratifying to me, as I have spent significant part of my adult life promoting the welfare of women and children.

“I would like to encourage mothers to take full advantage of these facilities to improve the health and well-being of their families,” Princess Orelope Adefulre said while commending the government and the people of Oyo state for their invaluable support and partnership for successful delivery of the interventions.

“We will continue to prioritize interventions with potential impacts on the lives of the poor and vulnerable members of our society, so that no ‘Nigerian is left behind,’ she added.