Tinubu’s directive led to creation of FUTA Teaching Hospital, says CMD
The Chief Medical Director of the Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital, Prof. Olusegun Ojo, has said the establishment of the institution followed the directive of President Bola Tinubu
- ...as hospital marks one year take off
The Chief Medical Director of the Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital, Prof. Olusegun Ojo, has said the establishment of the institution followed the directive of President Bola Tinubu to strengthen specialised healthcare delivery in Ondo state and the South-West region.
Speaking on Thursday at a briefing with journalists to mark the hospital’s first year anniversary, Ojo explained that the transformation of the former State Specialist Hospital into a federal teaching hospital was implemented through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Ondo state government.
The CMD revealed that the hospital, which had served residents of Akure and neighbouring communities for decades, had become overstretched due to population growth and increasing healthcare demands.
He explained that the facility, originally established in 1951 and later used as an annex of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, struggled to cope with the demand for specialised services including cardiology, cancer treatment, neurosurgery, dialysis and intensive care.
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"It is with profound gratitude to God and renewed optimism that I stand before you today to mark the first anniversary of the establishment of FUTA Teaching Hospital, Akure. Exactly one year ago, under the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and with the support of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, we embarked on this historic journey," he said.
Ojo said the approval of the MBBS programme for the College of Health Sciences of the Federal University of Technology Akure by the National Universities Commission further accelerated the push for the establishment of the teaching hospital.
According to him, the former UNIMEDTH Annex in Akure currently serves as the hospital’s take-off site while preparations are ongoing for its permanent headquarters.
"We are transitioning from a general hospital structure into a structured federal tertiary academic medical centre with emphasis on improved work ethics, professionalism and patient-centred accountability," he said.
He explained that many residents had previously travelled to Ibadan, Ile-Ife, Lagos and Abuja for specialised treatment, leading to delays and higher medical costs.
Ojo said the hospital, which has come to stay and provide heathcare services, had recorded milestones within its first year, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ondo state government for the takeover of the facility and the verification of inherited staff.
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He further disclosed that the hospital’s top management team had been constituted and a maiden management retreat held to develop its strategic blueprint, stressing that new units had also been created to strengthen governance and service delivery.
"The units include SERVICOM, Planning, Research and Statistics, and Protocol and Public Relations, as well as specialised departments such as Infectious Diseases and Oncology and Molecular Biology and Translational Medicine," he added.
The CMD said the hospital was planning infrastructure upgrades and the acquisition of advanced diagnostic equipment such as CT scans, MRI machines and digital X-ray systems.
Ojo also disclosed that the hospital would soon commence residency and fellowship training programmes.
"We will soon launch residency and fellowship training programmes focused on research into tropical diseases, maternal health, non-communicable diseases and mental health," he said.
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He added that residency and fellowship training programmes would soon commence.
Ojo, however, noted that restructuring the workforce and initial funding constraints were major challenges during the hospital’s first year.
He, however, lauded the state government under the leadership of Governor Aiyedatiwa and the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade for supporting the hospital’s take-off.
