Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof, Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday inaugurated the rehabilitated sections of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.
The project was midwife and driven by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.
Some of the rehabilitated works commissioned yesterday at the UCH include the evacuation and piping of the tunnel and reconstruction of the hospital sewage system; rehabilitation Works at the Pathology & Histology Block; rehabilitation of the Microbiology Laboratory building; and rehabilitation Works at the Nursing and Finance Block.
Others are the rehabilitation works at the Chief Medical Director’s Block; rehabilitation Works at the Children Emergency Block; supply of Toyota High Roof HIACE Ambulance; construction of 200 Nos solar powered street lights in the hospital compound and provision and Installation of Hospital accessories at West Block, Pathology and Histology Block.
There are also the provision and installation of hospital accessories at the Southeast Block, Otunba Tunwase Children Emergency Ward; provision and installation of hospital accessories at microbiology Southwest Block; rehabilitation of Mortuary Block; and rehabilitation of North-West Block.
The Radiography Block & Tailoring Unit; Restaurant & Laundry Unit Block; West-West Block; and ITD & Central Records Block, among others, were also rehabilitated.
In his remarks, Prof. Osinbajo said that strategic interventions at the UCH would address some challenges in accessing healthcare at the facility.
“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.”
He noted that while for over 7 decades UCH “has played a crucial role in the training of medical personnel and other healthcare professionals across the West African sub-region,” the need to upgrade facilities had been a challenge.
According to the vice president, the intervention is “part of the government’s commitment to the achievement of the SDGs in Nigeria,” and commended the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire “for this intervention and her commitment to the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development in Nigeria.”
Present at the event were Senator Teslim Folarin representing Oyo Central Senatorial District; the SSAP-SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; the Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun; the Chief Medical Director, UCH, Prof Jesse Otegbayo, and Chairman UCH Health Foundation, Dr. Olutoyin Okeowo, among others.