- UTH set to graduate first of Uniosun Medical Students
- Several Donations Have Been Made To Us Courtesy of Governor’s friends
By Sola Isola
The Chief Medical Director of Uniosun Teaching Hospital, Dr Babatunde Afolabi has described Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has a medical philanthropist adding that his philanthropism predates his tenure as the Governor of the state.
While highlighting the achievements of Governor Adeleke in the medical sector of Osun State and particularly Uniosun Teaching Hospital, Afolabi noted that courtesy of a N200million approval made by the Governor to remodel the Hospital Theatre, Surgical-Out-Patient and Medical-Out-Patient Theatre, which will now make us graduate the first set of Osun State University Medical Students.
Dr Afolabi who stated on Wednesday while receiving the Popular Social Media Influencer, Omolola Fasakin, also known as ‘Mewolaka’ and members of the media of team of the Governor led by Hon Hezekiah Oladele Bamiji, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, added that his appointment as Chief Medical Director of the Hospital was based on merit without interference of the Governor.
He said, “I have known him before I became the CMD and what I know is that he is a medical philanthropist.
“In 2003, he called me while we were in the church because he read in the newspaper that a child had hole in the heart, he didn’t know the mother but he made the arrangements for the woman so that her child can be taken to an hospital in India, so I am not surprised at what he is doing now.”
Dr Afolabi noted that before now medical students of the Osun State University have always had to go to other Teaching Hospitals within and outside the country to complete their studies but with the approval of Governor Adeleke, UTH and the University will graduate the first set of medical students this year.
“This year, we are going to graduate the first set of Osun State University medical students, after Mr Governor approved N200million for us and the University to remodel our Theatre, Surgical-Out-Patient and Medical-Out-Patient Theatres”, he added.
The Chief Medical Director stated further that several philanthropists from across the World have donated to the hospital courtesy of Governor Adeleke, while adding that even his application as CMD was merit based.
He said, “There is an 100-bedded hospital given to us tagged “Mother and Child”, Mr Governor provided us with electricity, when it is was given to us and one of Mr Governor’s friends donated a commercial borehole and now we have been called that a bus has been donated to us for that hospital.
“My appointment as the CMD was like that of the Governor, there was a lot of challenges here are there but my appointment is based on merit because the Governor is a man of integrity. We conducted interview, its the first time ever we are doing that, others were all appointed by other Governors.”
While listing other achievements of Governor Adeleke in the hospital, Dr Afolabi stated that the hospital was owing IBEDC N146million before he became CMD adding that Governor Adeleke had approved the payment of N80million to offset the debt, which has now enabled the hospital to have 18hours power supply.
“When I took over as CMD, we were owing IBEDC N146million, and we have even gone to court to argue the amount but when we informed the Governor, he approved the payment of N80million to offset the debt and that is why we now enjoy 18hours power supply now.
“The Governor has done well in terms of welfare and even in promotion or workers and its implementation.
“He gave N20million cash donations to all patients and another N20million naira cash donations to all members of staff when he visited, he is first governor to visit this hospital since 2012.
“Governor Adeleke implemented regularization for our nurses which we have struggled to do for several year, and all our emoluments are being paid and now we are all being paid with the new minimum wage. Before now we had staff leaving this Teaching Hospital to other teaching hospital even within the state but now that has since stopped.
“We are the one championing the Imole Free Medical Outreach and over 25,000 residents benefited in the first phase, 23,000 residents in the second phase, another one is going on currently in Ede as we speak.
“Governor Adeleke recently approved an Oxygen Plant for us, work will start on constructing that in earnest”, he added.
