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Tag: Prof Babatunde Osotimehin.

  • UN, others to pay last respect to Osotimehin

    UN, others to pay last respect to Osotimehin

    Family and friends of the late former Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, have concluded arrangements on how to pay their last respect to the deceased.

    The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will also play a significant role in last funeral rites for Osotimehin, who was the head of the organization before his death.

    In a statement issued on Saturday by Niyi Ojuolape, who was Osotimehin’s special assistant, the celebration of the ex-minister’s life will take place in London, Abuja and Ibadan from July 10 to 21.

    The event will commence with the Babatunde Osotimehin Lecture, organized by the UNFPA at the Family Planning Summit on July 10 by  5:00 p.m. at County Hall (Next to the Marriott Hotel), London, while the final funeral service holds on July 21 by 11:00 a.m. at the All Souls Church, Old Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State.

    Osotimehin’s impressive tenure as Nigeria’s Minister of Health from 2008 to 2010 was just one of the many crowning achievements of his life.

     

     

  • Osinbajo mourns Osotimehin 

    Osinbajo mourns Osotimehin 

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday expressed shock over the  sadden death of Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, 68, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and a former Minister of Health in Nigeria.

    On behalf of the people and Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Osinbajo extended heartfelt condolences to his wife, children and entire family over the passage of their beloved father, grandfather and also an illustrious Nigerian.

    The Acting President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, also commiserated with the staff of the UNFPA and the entire UN system on the demise of a very remarkable international public servant, who served passionately, diligently and worked tirelessly at the global and national stages to reduce maternal mortality and promote universal access to reproductive health.

    The late Osotimehin, he noted, also had a distinguished career as medical doctor and teacher before he served as a cabinet minister in Nigeria, and later at the UN.

    He said that the deceased will be long remembered for his many significant developmental contributions at home and in the international community.

    As Prof. Osotimehin is being mourned internationally, the Acting President urged the Osotimehin family, friends and associates to take solace knowing that his notable service and worthy contributions especially towards improving women and children’s health across the world are widely acclaimed, deeply appreciated, and would be long remembered and honoured.

     

  • Osotimehin will be greatly missed – Health Minister

    Osotimehin will be greatly missed – Health Minister

    Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has described the death of the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin as shocking.

    Professor Osotimehin who was once a minister of Health, passed on in the early hours of Monday.

    Born February 6, 1949, the 68-year-old at a time served as Provost of the College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan.

    Osotimehin was appointed the fourth Executive Director of UNFPA in November 2010 and was reappointed in August 2014.

    An accomplished physician, former Provost College of Medicine University of Ibadan and former Director General of the National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA). Until his death he was the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund.

    The late Osotimehin, according to the minister will be remembered for his role and global contributions to increased access to Family Planning as well as Sexual and Adolescent Health especially in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs).

    “Professor Osotimehin whom I fondly called the ‘Big Boss’ during his lifetime will definitely be missed for his dedication, humility, mentorship and patriotism,” Adewole said.

    While in office as the honorable minister, Prof. Osotimehin was at the forefront of the advocacy for improved reproductive health care in the country.

    The Minister who spoke on behalf of the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Health condoled with the family, friends, associates and colleagues of the late professor at the United Nations.

  • UNFPA chief Osotimehin dies at 68

    UNFPA chief Osotimehin dies at 68

    The Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, is dead.

    A brief statement issued by Osotimehin’s family said he died on Sunday in London.

    He was 68 years.

    The deceased served as Nigeria’s Minister of Heath and left office in March 2010 when the then Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet.

    He was also the Director-General of the Nigerian National Agency for the Control of AIDS, an agency that coordinates all HIV/AIDS activities in the country.

    During his stint as head of the National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), Osotimehin oversaw the development of systems that presently manage more than $1 billion in project funds.

  • FG cancels plan to build 10,000 PHCs

    FG cancels plan to build 10,000 PHCs

    …To merge health department for effective performance

    Federal Government may have put off its earlier plan to build 10,000 primary health care centres across all senatorial zones across the country, it was learnt Thursday.

    Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole said the decision to cancel the project was on the advice of Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, who felt that the states may not be able to meet up with their contributions.

    Adewole spoke during an audience with Under-Secretary-General and Executive-Director, United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin in Abuja

    Absolving the Finance minister of any blame, Adewole said the minister (Finance) had earlier pledged upon assumption of office that the PHCs would be made available by President Buhari-led administration within four years, and that the nation’s health systems would be driven through it.

    But with the turn of event in the country, she was concerned that the states may not be able to meet up with their contributions. This, Adeosun said will be a burden on the Federal Government.

    Minister of Health had on Tuesday assured the country that government would harmonize various departments in the ministry for effective performance. He said most of the health projects in the country are funded by sponsors, and that the best way to show seriousness as a government, and appreciate such aids is to expend the funds through a well-coordinated channel.

    He said of the PHC’s: “Truly, we came up with the agenda of revitalizing one PHC per political ward, that would lead us to ensuring 1000 PHCs are in place. But, then, there is a problem. Government set up an inter-ministerial committee. At our first meeting, it was obvious, the Minister of Finance said ‘wait a minute, when you take this up, the local government and states will abandon its responsibility. And, when they abandon it for you, you are in trouble.

    “About 40 percent of the resources go into personnel cost. So, if you want to bear the responsibility of the resources, you want to bear responsibility for commodities, then, what exactly will the states be doing?

    “So, we are trying to repackage the concept. We are taking on one hundred and ten for pilot. We are going through the backdoor, using the Save-One-Million-Lives, which is actually $500 million facility from the World Bank. We’ve given out to the states as grant, and what we’ve done is to advance them and advance payment at $1.5million. Use this, and then, in a year’s time, we would re-evaluate and match you with you. In other words, we compared, say Lagos State in 2015 with Lagos State in 2016. We then advance them with rewards based on improvements. And, I’ve been talking to many of the state governors, saying use this to strengthen your primary health care system. I think many of them are listening. If they do not invest, there will be nothing for them next year.”

    He added that one of the core goals of the ministry under his leadership is promote family planning services as the best way for mothers to plan and live their lives meaningfully.

    In his remark, Prof. Osotimehin, who was accompanied by Permanent Secretary, United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, DfID, Mark Lowcock, expressed the concern of UNFPA and DfID over high maternal death rate in the country.

    He however reiterated the support of international community for the country to reduce the incidence. He however informed that family planning would effectively reduce the deaths by 30 percent, and that it should be embraced by all people in the country.

  • We’re tackling shortage of resources with prudence – Buhari

    We’re tackling shortage of resources with prudence – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said that commitment to transparency and accountability is serving the government in good stead, despite severe shortage of resources in the country.

    He spoke at the State House, Abuja, while receiving the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director and Under Secretary General of the United Nations, Prof Babatunde Osotimehin.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said: “It has been a very difficult year for Nigeria. Before we came to office, petroleum sold for about $100 per barrel. Then it crashed to $37, and now oscillates between $40 and $45 per barrel.

    “Suddenly, we’re a poor country, but commitment to transparency and accountability is not making people know that there is severe shortage,” he added.

    He urged UNFPA to bear with Nigeria in any area the country could not live up to its responsibilities at the moment.

    The President pointed out that exploding population and different cultural practices in the country is providing fertile ground for research to organizations like UNFPA.

    Buhari thanked the UN agency for its commitment to saving lives in Nigeria, particularly of women and children.

    On food security, President Buhari said reports from the North-East of the country were encouraging, as people were returning to their farmlands, with the guarantee of relative security.

    Prof Osotimehin, a former Minister of Health in Nigeria, said UNFPA was determined to promote health care facilities across the country, noting that reduction of maternal mortality was doable, if the country paid more attention to access to health facilities, and human resources to run them.

    He also encouraged Nigeria to commit to providing resources for health care, on a rollover basis, pledging that the UN would work with the country to provide humanitarian assistance not only in the North-East, “but even extended to the Lake Chad basin.”