Mr Seyi Tinubu, on Monday, inaugurated a drug bank for indigent patients at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, to support maternal and child healthcare.
The drug bank for indigent patients in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Paediatrics at the UNTH Pharmacy Unit was organised under the Seyi Tinubu Maternal and Child Healthcare Intervention Programme.
President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by his Personal Assistant, Ojeje Onimisi, said, “We gather today with hope and compassion to commission the drug bank for indigent paediatric and pregnant patients.
“This initiative is a beacon of light for vulnerable lives, our children and expectant mothers.”
“This drug bank will provide critical medicines, free of charge, to those who need them most. It is a lifeline for families in need, ensuring no one is left behind due to financial hardship,” he said.
Tinubu also commended the management of UNTH for partnering on the project, describing the hospital’s dedication to healthcare as commendable.
The National Coordinator of the intervention programme, Benson Ayodele, said the initiative was part of a nationwide philanthropic effort by Tinubu to establish drug banks in tertiary hospitals across Nigeria. He noted that the scheme aims to provide free medicines and delivery materials to indigent patients in obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatric units in about 60 tertiary hospitals nationwide.
Ayodele disclosed that under the scheme, about 10,000 indigent patients are expected to benefit monthly from free drugs and delivery supplies in participating hospitals.
He also announced a scholarship grant of N1 million for Blessing Oguchi, a Senior Registrar in Paediatrics at UNTH, to support her final fellowship examination as part of the programme’s support for paediatric medical training.
Receiving the items on behalf of the hospital, the Chief Medical Director of UNTH, Obinna Onodugo, described the initiative as ‘timely and impactful’.
“It’s a very happy day for us. They chose the right population to start with: the mother-child population.
“That is the real foundation of life, and it is an area where we have recorded significant mortality in the country,” he said.
NAN