Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, has launched drug banks in 60 selected tertiary healthcare institutions across the country.
The program, which was designed to provide the drug needs of a minimum of 10,000 indigent patients per selected tertiary health institution, was flagged off at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria, Kaduna State.
The healthcare intervention scheme was aimed at complementing the federal government’s efforts and investment in the health sector, and would be domiciled in two departments – Obstetrics & Gyneacology and
Pediatric Units of the 60 selected hospitals catering for 10,000 indigent patients per month.
Speaking at the official commissioning of the intervention at ABUTH Zaria on Thursday, Mr Seyi Tinubu said it was high time Nigeria’s ranking on the map of countries with high rate of infant and maternal mortality drops.
Seyi Tinubu, who was represented by Pharm. Ojeje Amin Onimisi, said: “Our intervention is driven by Mr Seyi Tinubu’s compassion for children.
“This project will be expanded to include provision of useful medical equipment and provision of funds for interdepartmental research that will improve the health outcome of paediatric patients.”
He urged the management of the hospital to ensure effective and efficient use of the intervention for indigent patients who are most vulnerable.
The national coordinator of the intervention, Dr. Benson Ayodele Cole, in his remarks, noted that tertiary hospitals were chosen because of the enormous burden of indigent patients they receive yearly and also because they currently have a better organised systems and infrastructure to administer the scheme
“As the National Coordinator of this project, I am delighted to let you know that after this first phase the program will be cascaded down to the Secondary and Primary Care levels in General Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres.
“The event we are witnessing today is the official flag-off of establishment of Drug Banks by Mr. Seyi Tinubu, whose love for children has made him furnished these banks with sufficient drugs and delivery consumables to attend to the needs of a minimum of 10,000 indigent patients monthly in each selected tertiary hospital.
“Because of the outstanding work being done by the ABU Teaching Hospital, Seyi Tinubu has chosen here for the official commissioning of this nationwide project.
“You may already know the staggering unfortunate statistics of infant mortality in Nigeria which as at last year stood at 54.740 deaths per 1000 live births, while the Nigeria maternal mortality rate for 2020 was 1,047.
“Indeed our maternal mortality is about the 4th highest in the world, and according to World Health Organization “nearly 20 percent of all global maternal deaths happen in Nigeria.”
Deputy chairman, medical advisory committee ABUTH, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed-Zaria, who represented the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Ahmad Hamadu, applauded the initiative, stating that it was apt and would go a long way in alleviating the suffering of mothers and children, thereby reducing the country’s infant and maternal mortality indices.
Mohammed-Zaria pledged that the hospital management would ensure the intervention judiciously served the indigent patients at the hospital especially the pregnant women and children under five years of age.
“Many patients do come to this hospital without money as some may have exhausted their resources at other hospital before they are finally referred here but with this initiative, it would go a long way in alleviating their suffering,” he said.
Mr. Seyi Tinubu who also donated a solar powered industrial borehole at Banzazzau, Zaria city, expressed his desire to help reduce the perennial water shortage with the aim of forestalling the devastating consequences of cholera outbreak and other waterborne disease in such communities
Seyi Tinubu in his passion to save the lives of children also launched a scholarship scheme – Seyi Tinubu Residency Training Scholarship for resident doctors who are in their final year of their residency program with a scholarship grant of N1,000,000 to support them in registration and preparation for their final fellowship examination.
Dr. Aisha Suleiman, however, became the first beneficiary of the N1m scholarship for her outstanding dedication to duty and academic excellence.
Dr. Aisha, who is presently a senior registrar due for her fellowship exam, expressed her sincere and profound appreciation to Mr Seyi Tinubu for the kind gesture.
The national coordinator for the intervention on education, Mrs Aisha Ololade, affirmed that portable water goes a long way in maintaining effective Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the process of curtailing outbreak of diseases that can result in infant and maternal death.
She said that potable water and drug banks establishment scheme were twins of a kind, as they go hand in hand in ensuring safety of children and mothers as it reduces rise in infant and maternal health issues.