Proposed Medical University: Nigerian Government’s commitment commended 

The Nigerian government has been commended for its commitment towards the establishment a world-class University of Medicine and Medical Sciences in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Professor Adewale Musa-Olomu gave the commendation during an interview with Voice of Nigeria.

Professor Musa-Olomu said the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta had been able to secure a 170 hectares of land in Abeokuta for the proposed university of medicine.

He said that ”the Nigeria government had released the sum of N500 million for the payment of compensation to about 700 families who were the inhabitants of the land, all of whom have been settled.”

Executive order
Professor Musa-Olomu said that the project brief, master-plan, laws and regulations of the university were ready, stressing that the centre was only waiting for the Nigerian government’s executive order for the commencement of construction work.

The Medical Director wondered how a country like Nigeria would not have a viable and internationally recognised medical school, pointing out that the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta had been doing all it can to establish one.

He stated; “It is unheard of that in the history of medicine that we don’t have a viable and internationally recognised medical school. We (Management of FMC, Abeokuta) have been trying a lot to achieve this for a very long time. We have the master-plan already, university brief, university law, everything is fully written. What we are waiting for is just the Senate approval after public hearing and executive approval. Once the approval is given we will commence construction.”

Professor Musa-Olomu also commended the immediate past Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, who during his tenure as Governor released the Certificate of Occupancy ( C of O) of the 170 hectares of land for the proposed university free of charge. He said that the C of O was worth N5.2 billion.

He thank Senator Amosun for his continuous support especially for sponsoring the Bill in the Senate for the establishment of the University of Medicine and Medical Sciences in Abeokuta.

Professor Musa-Olomu explained that the Bill had already passed the second reading and had been referred to the appropriate committee for further legislative attention.He appealed to the Senate to give the Bill the accelerated attention it deserves.

His words: “Senator Ibikunle Amosun has been a pillar of support of the university of medicine since when he was the Governor of the State. He has sponsored a Bill twice to give the University of Medicine a legal backing. Currently, the Bill just passed the second reading and it is at the committee level now and I hope they will accelerate the processes when the Senate resumes.”

Professor Musa-Olomu stated that since assuming office as Medical Director three years ago, the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta had so far successfully operated over 400 patients, including removing a brain tumour from a patient.

According to him, ”the current management had successfully raised the profile of the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta from 200-bedded to about 600-bedded hospital with the help of the Nigerian and Ogun State governments as well as well-meaning Nigerians.”

He said the medical centre can now boast of many specialists in all areas of medical specialisation, stressing that the hospital has the best physiotherapy centre in Nigeria.

The Medical Director said in the last three years, the hospital had acquired state-of-the-earth medical apparatus such as radiology equipment, mammographic and ultrasound machines as well as a N500 million ultramodern cardiac centre.

He stated that with the support of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) the hospital was able to create two 20-bedded isolation centres for the treatment of Covid-19 patients as well has constructing an oxygen plant.

The hospital has now extended its operation beyond Abeokuta to rural areas in the three senatorial districts of Ogun state, to cater for the medical needs of the rural communities.

Professor Musa-Olomu said, “We are also going to the grassroots to provide health services. We are presently operating in six rural centres in Yewa North, Yewa South local government areas.  We are also operating at Joga-Orile, Ayetoro, Ikenne, Kajola and other places. We have nothing less than 60 members of Staff working in those places. We have taken a lot of deliveries, we have taken a lot of ophthalmological services at the grassroots too.”

Mercy Chukwudiebere