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  • How UCH,Oyo govt are tackling Ebola

    How UCH,Oyo govt are tackling Ebola

    Months before Patrick Sawyer imported Ebola into Nigeria from Liberia, Nigeria’s premier tertiary health facility, the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan has made adequate preparation to contain any outbreak of the deadly disease. BISI OLADELE reports on what the hospital and the Oyo State government are doing to fight EVD

    Should preparation and precautions be enough to prevent and curtail the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, then efforts by the authorities of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan and the Oyo State government would offer total peace to those living in fear of the disease in the State.

    The hospital, leveraging on the opportunity of doctors’ strike which prevents patients from patronizing the hospital since six weeks ago, has since April, instructed its staff to take precautionary measures against the possible outbreak of the disease.

    Reason? Its committee on Emergency Response to Outbreak of Diseases reported a case of Acute Viral Haemorrhagic Fever in April.

    According to the Head, Emergency Department of the hospital, Mr Wale Olatunde, there was a case of Acute Haemorrhagic Fever in April, suggesting a possible outbreak of one or all of three diseases namely Ebola, Dengue and Lassa fever.

    Olatunde, who is also a member of the committee, disclosed that they immediately alerted the Management of the hospital, which in turn, put all members of staff on red alert to prevent them from contracting any of the diseases either from patients or from their various local communities.

    Today, the UCH has built an Ebola Isolation Centre with equipment to handle possible victims of the virus, provided its staff with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), runs media campaign on outbreak of Ebola and also restrict access to all its medical departments as precautionary measures.

    In an interview with The Nation, Mr Olatunde said: “Unfortunately, we have this sudden condition which has thrown up a lot of challenges into the hospital system.

    “At the UCH, being the foremost teaching hospital in the country, we were never caught unawares. The hospital has a committee called UCH Emergency Response to Outbreak of Diseases put in place in 2011 by the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Temitope Alonge.

    “One of the oversight functions is to regularly assess outbreak and notify appropriately the outbreak of any communicable disease. The committee and the hospital were fully involved in the outbreak of cholera in Oyo State in 2012.

    “We were able to contain it then. We notified the government as soon as we started receiving patients on cholera. We asked them to do contact tracing and disinfection of affected areas.

    We acted better in 2013 when it broke out in Egbeda axis. We were able to quickly curtail it. Members are drawn from every segment of the hospital. Once you notice any of these communicable diseases, we notify the committee which will swing into action.

    “The same happened last year when we had suspected cases of meningitis and Lassa fever.”

    Specifically, on Ebola outbreak, he said: “This year, the first suspected case was Acute Viral Haemorrhagic Fever in April. Infections that present as such include Lassa, Dengue and Ebola. Incidentally, presenting symptoms are similar to those of malaria fever, typhoid fever and upper respiratory tracts infection which make the diagnosis very difficult.

    “So as early as April, we started suspecting and we notified appropriate authorities but because we didn’t have a conclusive diagnostic test, we couldn’t come out. But appropriate precautionary measures universally acceptable were employed. They include isolation of suspected patients and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by workers.

    “Four Lassa cases were confirmed from the laboratory and one Dengue. It was when we were working on this that Patrick Sawyer came into Nigeria. We might have had a reported case of Ebola but for the doctors’ strike.

    Preventive Measures

    “As early as April, the Management of the hospital, based on the report of the committee, alerted all staff to be on red alert. There is no fatality among us because we were well prepared for it.

    “When Ebola became an epidemic, the Management printed fliers sensitizing the public to quickly identify report and put measures in place to curtail the spread of the disease. In addition, Management started in- house training for the staff. We also had a ground round on August 8. We also have road shows and jingles on radio and TV.

    “In addition to that, the Management embarked on immediate construction of Ebola Isolation Centre near the main entrance.

    “We are also following the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation in management of cases like this. There are categories A, B and C. Only those confirmed as positive will go to isolation centre.

    “We now use Infrared thermometer in place of the old clinical thermometer. With this, all patients coming to the hospital will be screened for fever without any personal contact. Those cleared would be brought into the hospital and those with index or suspicion will be isolated. Those confirmed will be transferred to the Isolation Centre.

    “We also have reduced entry to every department for the safety of patients and staff. This will continue until the epidemic is over as a way of curtailing its spread.

    “We are expecting more PPE from the government.”

    Items to be used for the prevention and treatment of Ebola and related ailments stocked by the hospital include N95 Masks, booths, gowns, gloves, goggles, sterile alcohol prep pads, gauze dressing, sutures and sutures removal, breathing circuits and hand towels.

    “When kitted, you are like an Eskimo, prevented from spillages.” Mr Olatunde said.

    The equipment was donated by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jumoke Akinjide

    On its part, the Oyo State government has assured members of the public on steps taken so far over the last three months to ensure the prevention of an Ebola disease outbreak in the state.

    The Commissioner for Health, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin said: “In all these, the Ministry of Health is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health, World Health Organization and Ministry of Health of our neighboring States to carry out the following: All local government areas Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers have been alerted and sensitized to promptly respond to the outbreak, in addition a sensitization programme has been organized for the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all the 33 LGAs in the State.

    “Public enlightenment highlighting how to prevent Ebola Virus Disease, its causes, mode of transmissions and steps to be taken in case of outbreak has commenced in form of; airing of jingles to educate the people on preventive measures against Ebola and other epidemic prone disease;

    production and distribution of posters and handbills for public enlightenment; sensitization of traditional healers, religious and community members in Oyo State on prevention of Ebola and other communicable diseases”.

    Sign and Symptoms of Ebola disease

    Gbadegesin further said that: “For emphasis, members of the public are hereby informed that symptoms of Ebola infection are as follows:

    Sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat, conjunctivitis, hiccups, dysphagia, followed by vomiting, diarrhea and rash, bleeding from body orifices (nose, Eye) coughing of blood, unexplained vagina bleeding, bleeding from the gums and bloody urine.

    “Circumstances that fuelled the epidemic in neighbouring countries are spread to health care workers while nursing those affected by the disease; spread to care givers of those affected by the disease (mainly family and community members); contact with body or body fluid of the dead; living in the same household with somebody affected by the disease raises the chance of coming down with the disease”, adding that “transmission across international borders have been shown to propagate the spread of disease, (hence) special surveillance is thus being paid to our border LGAs which are Atisbo, Saki West, Itesiwaju and Iwajowa which share borders with Republic of Benin”.

    What to do?

    The Commissioner directed that any suspected case should be taken to the nearest public health facility for adequate care. “The State Government thus wishes to assure the populace of effective monitoring of the situation.”  He said advising residents of the state to call 08033280687, 07087288333 to report cases of the disease.

  • Oyo builds isolation centre at UCH

    Oyo builds isolation centre at UCH

    The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has begun the construction of an isolation centre for likely victims of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

    Ten victims, including the first infected person in Nigeria, the late Liberian-American, Mr Patrick Sawyer, have been confirmed to be infected with the virus, according to Health Minister Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.

    The isolation centre, which is located at the main gate of the Accident and Emergency Unit, was already 75 per cent complete as at press time yesterday.

    The hospital’s Head of Public Relations Unit, Mr Ayodeji Bobade, explained that the centre was the initiative of UCH management to properly prepare likely outbreak of the disease in the state.

    He said the management researched on what an Ebola isolation unit should look like and came up with the design and location.

    Bobade said the equipment to be used at the hospital had been supplied by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oloye Jumoke Akinjide.

    He said: “Ebola is here. The hospital just thought of ways to minimise the effect and treat the victim (if there is any), hence, the establishment of the unit.”

    The spokesman explained that the hospital needed to act fast while it was expecting equipment and funds from the Federal and state government for the project.

  • Ebola: UCH constructs isolation centre to curtail disease

    Ebola: UCH constructs isolation centre to curtail disease

    As part of efforts by government and various stakeholders to check the outbreak of Ebola virus, the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has completed the construction of an isolation centre to diagnose patients brought into the hospital with symptoms of haemorrhagic fever.

    The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof Temitope Alonge, disclosed this during the hospital’s wide grand round with the theme ‘Ebola Viral Infection: Taming the Scourge,’ held at Paul Hendricks Hall in the hospital.

    Alonge said: “The isolation centre is not for everybody that has symptoms of Ebola?. We have category A, B and C. Somebody that has no fever, stroke, diarrhoea, or vomiting, but there are some specific symptoms we will look out for. We will be observing the patients by taking his or her blood samples before the result will decide whether he or she will be treated normally or will be quarantined.”

    According to him, every patient that comes to UCH would be treated as a potential carrier of the virus, adding that people must take universal precaution in order not to contract the disease.

     

     

     

    The UCH boss continued:  “There is a high risk for our staff to contract the disease and in order to curtail it, we have embarked on continued medical education which started over a week ago in all departments. They have been told to treat every patient as a potential Ebola virus patient until it is proven they are not.”

    Alonge further revealed that the hospital has provided 4000 pieces of hand sanitisers for every care giver in the hospital, who comes in direct contact with the patients, urging them to keep their own bottle and ensure its usage regularly anytime they come in direct contact with patients.

    Speaking on the role of the government to tackle the menace, he said, “Any patient diagnosed with? haemorrhagic fever has become the corpse of the State, but the corpse must be released to the State, which will handle the burial in a proper way.

    “State government in the Southwest should inform their citizens that in the event of ?haemorrhagic feve?r, the State should be responsible for the burial rites of that corpse so that it will not be transmitted among relations.”

     

  • UCH can manage Ebola disease, says CMD

    UCH can manage Ebola disease, says CMD

    The management of the University Teaching Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State has said it can deal with the Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF) outbreak. The disease is also known as Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

    The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof Temitope Alonge, spoke in Lagos yesterday at a news conference facilitated by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).

    Prof Alonge explained that Ebola belongs to a group of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs), a group of illnesses that are caused by several distinct families of viruses.

    He said: “In general, the term ‘viral hemorrhagic fever’ is used to describe a severe multisystem syndrome (multisystem in that multiple organ systems in the body are affected). Characteristically, the overall vascular system is damaged, and the body’s ability to regulate itself is impaired. These symptoms are often accompanied by hemorrhage (bleeding); diarhoea etc, however, the bleeding is it rarely life-threatening. While some types of hemorrhagic fever viruses can cause relatively mild illnesses, many of these viruses cause severe, life-threatening disease.”

    The CMD said the hospital has the human capacity and facilities to detect and manage the Ebola because, “We have been proactive as far back as 2012, by setting up VHF isolation precautions as well as standard precautions, which enabled us to manage Dengue fever and other outbreaks back then. It was later confirmed that  no further nosocomial transmission of the virus was documented, indicating that although Dengue is highly infectious, the use of these measures is effective in preventing the spread of disease and other Viral hemorrhagic fevers, such as Ebola.”

    He said the major challenge now facing his hospital is how to cremate bodies of Ebola deceased, should there be in his hospital, but, “we have contacted the India communities and other experts in that field and they are ready to collaborate with us should the need arises. We have also printed out pamphlets in English, Yoruba and Hausa languages on what Ebola is, mode of transmission and preventive measures. We have enough Personal Protective Garments (PPG) for the workforce, so UCH is ready and prepared. It will be irresponsible of anybody to say we do not have the capacity in terms of laboratory to diagnose Ebola. The Minister, Prof Onyebuch Chukwu, has clearly stated that Nigeria can make accurate diagnoses of Ebola.

    “Not only that, we have a bill board that scrolls every five minutes at the main gate, called Orita Mefa (six-T-junctions), where passers-by stay glued reading the information on Ebola. The important thing now is to prevent contracting same by washing of hands with either soap, ash or use sanitisers.”

  • Tears,agony, deaths at UCH

    Tears,agony, deaths at UCH

    Nigeria’s premier tertiary health institution, the University College Hospital (UCH) remains a shadow of itself as the nationwide strike by doctors enters its second week. BISI OLADELE and TAYO JOHNSON report tales of agony and death at the hospital as patients are left to seek alternatives elsewhere.

    For Mr Babatunde Abass, life is becoming meaningless as his hope of relief from pains and agony associated with hernia, which he suffers from, is dashed. He sat on his bed at a male ward at the University College Hospital, (UCH), Ibadan, looking pale.

    As if trying hard to interpret a dream or make a salient point, the patient looked into the space in the midst of his other bed-ridden patients in the ward. His looks conveyed hopelessness and frustration as he was later helped by his relations to make a trip to the toilet. With a singlet hanging on his Ankara trousers, his looks summed up the effect of the ongoing strike by medical doctors on patients at the UCH, the only major tertiary health institution in Oyo State.

    The situation of Mr Abass is a sample representative of many patients in government hospitals across the country.

    Medical doctors had commenced an indefinite strike last week over unresolved issues within the hospital system.  The doctors are demanding issuance of a circular for restoration of sanity in hospitals as well as increment of hazard allowance by about 100 per cent and delisting of all workers on Grade Level 15 as directors. The strike has since paralyzed health care services in the nation’s government’s hospitals one of which is the UCH, Ibadan.

    Worse hit by the unfortunate development are the less- privileged patients who could not afford to patronize private hospitals whose bills are beyond their reach. The situation is increasing deaths at the hospital daily. Some patients in critical conditions, some in urgent need of surgery as well as those newly seeking such services are losing their lives daily.

    When The Nation visited the UCH, only nurses, pharmacists and other health workers were attending to the patients, while new patients with complicated issues were being turned back.

    Relatives and patients were seen leaving the hospital in frustration as there were no doctors to attend to them.

    Patients, who were rushed to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital, were advised to seek medical care in private hospitals.

    Many of the patients who cannot afford private hospital bills have since given up hope. A good example is 60 years old Babatunde Abass a resident of Oyo town, in South West ward of the UCH. Although the ward was getting empty as patients literally discharge themselves, but Abass stayed on due to his inability to foot private hospital bills.

    Abass, it was learnt, has been a regular patient at the UCH and was due to undergo a surgery on July 2.

    It was learnt that he got an offer for the surgery at a private hospital in Ibadan but the bill was beyond his almost empty pockets.  He had to resign to fate, praying for a quick resolution of the crisis.

    Another patient, Alhaji Mukaila Ogunsina who suffers heart related disease, was writhing in pains in another ward in the South West wing of the hospital. Ogunsina, who is in his late 60s, is only hoping the strike would end soon. His relative, Mr Ola Akande, said:” If this strike is not called off, I may likely lose my uncle because he has been abandoned and we cannot afford to take him to a private hospital. This place is our only hope and the doctors are nowhere to be found now. We have spent a lot on this sickness and we cannot start his treatment again in another hospital from the scratch. I am using this medium to appeal to the government to meet the demands of the doctors so that they can resume on time.”

    During The Nation’s visit to the hospital, it was discovered that many patients in the wards had been discharged while a few consultants offer skeletal services to outpatients. But all other units such as Laboratories, Eye and Dental are open to patients. Doctors in such units are, however, not attending to patients, leaving only other medical personnel offering services.

    The Chief Medical Director, Prof Temitope Alonge, along with two consultants were seen going round the wards on a routine check to ensure safety of the patients.

    An out-patient, ýwho didn’t want her name in print, said: “I was not aware of the doctors’ strike until Friday. But since I already have an appointment for the day, I have to come.

    “The whole place is dry and the doctors are not on seat. I am still trying to see what will become of my treatment and how my appointment can be rescheduled.

    “I wish the government answer them on time or ensure skeletal services are arranged to attend to some patients that are hanging between life and death.”

    Also, Mr Bade Lawson, whose relation was on admission, said that the family was already planning to transfer the patient to a private hospital.

    “We were shocked when we received information about the strike.  We have to think of how to transfer our relation elsewhere for treatment. The Federal Government and the doctors should settle the issues once and for all. Doctors and health workers are very critical to this nation and to our economy. I believe the health sector should be adequately catered for. There should be enough funding and functional facilities on ground. Doctors on their own part should be more dedicated. They should be efficient and well-grounded to save lives. I hope the issues will be resolved promptly to forestall it from becoming a full blown strike.” Lawson lamented

    Another stranded patient who preferred anonymity, explained that doctors prescribed ultrasound for her at the last visit before the strike but she could not complete all the tests. The patient, who came from Amuloko area of the city, lamented the strike. She said she had spent about five hours doing other tests.

    She said: “Let government answer them so they can return to work fast. Government should pity the masses. People come from far distances. No healthy person visits the hospital.”

    In his own reaction, the President of the UCH Chapter of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD),Dr Franklin Anor , said patients on admission before the commencement of the strike were being taken care of, adding that the strike was not total at they were still rendering skeletal services.

    According to him, the strike is not against the public, but it’s just to call the attention of the government and the public to the atrocities that are being committed in the health sector.

    “Some emergency cases like accident victims are being attended to when we are called upon. We don’t know when we will be calling the strike off but whatever the Federal Government is offering, we shall consider it at our next delegates meeting and a concrete decision will be taken there. We are not trying to punish Nigerians but we are just drawing the attention of government to do the right thing.” Anor said

    He urged Nigerians to be patient with them, saying that their action is to save the future of the healthcare delivery in Nigeria and on the long run to save the lives of the patients themselves.

    The Head of Public Relations Unit of the UCH, Mr Toye Akinrinlola, explained that the hospital embarked on emergency services for patients with critical cases. Senior doctors are called on to offer minimal service to patients with critical cases that cannot be discharged abruptly.

    When asked about increasing number of deaths at the hospital since the strike started, Akinrinlola said he did not have data to confirm it.

  • Patients groan as UCH renders skeletal services

    Patients groaned yesterday at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, as the strike by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) started.

    Except those at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital, other patients were unattended to by the striking doctors.

    New patients were turned back to seek medical services elsewhere; only nurses and other junior medical workers attended to those on admission.

    The state chapter of the NMA expressed dissatisfaction with Federal Government’s lopsided policies on medical practice.

    The union noted that such policies threaten efficient health care delivery.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Ibadan, the state capital, the association said it was notifying the public of the beginning of an indefinite strike.

    Its chairman, Dr. Malomo Adefolarin, explained that the strike was not meant to cause hardship on Nigerians but to protect the ethics of the medical profession and improve health care standard.

    The union leader was accompanied by the Chairman of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at the UCH, Dr. Franklin Anor, and other executive members of the association.

    Adefolarin said the lack of respect for doctors, which the Federal Government was exhibiting by giving out unnecessary titles, authorities and influence, was dangerous to effective health care delivery.

    The union leader said the excellence of other health care workers outstripped the mere need to mimic doctors.

    He said: “The government has remained quiet on policies that have driven two regulatory bodies to exchange words on the pages of newspapers. It has retained titles and arrangements that belie substance and asked the people, whose entry point is first degree, to direct those whose entry point is post-graduate degrees.

     

    “The government is asking those who have never been required to and who have not published any article in learned journals to direct professors in tertiary institutions. The government has agreed to cancel functional deputy directorship of clinical services, research and training while multiplying it for others.”

    Adefolarin said the government made some categories of health workers to skip salary scale steps but “skipped” doctors in executing the policy.

    According to him, these are only a few of the various omissions the government made which are unknown to Nigerians.

    The union leader said these are among the issues that have worsened the state of government hospitals, especially government’s tertiary hospitals.

    Adefolarin said the strike would be total and indefinite, adding that the NMA regretted the consequences of the action.

    He able but unavoidable and will be in line with proper professional regulations.

     

     

     

     

  • Joy as UCH reopens N500m comprehensive health centre

    Joy as UCH reopens N500m comprehensive health centre

    Residents of communities in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State, heaved a sigh of relief last week when the University College Hospital (UCH) reopened a N500 million comprehensive healthcare facility in Sepeteri to end years of agony of travelling to Ibadan, particularly for tertiary healthcare services, BISI OLADELE reports

    Indigenes of Sepeteri and other communities in Oke-Ogun, the northern part of Oyo State, last week rolled out the drums to celebrate the reopening of a healthcare facility by the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

    The Sepeteri Comprehensive Health Centre was a dream come true for the UCH, the communities as well as the senator representing Oyo North Senatorial District, Hosea Ayoola Agboola.

    Sen. Agboola, who is the Deputy Chief Whip, had adopted the hospital as his constituency project for last year.

    The facility will bring great relief to residents of the 10 local governments who had always endured a long journey to Ibadan, the state capital, where the UCH is located for tertiary health services.

    For an area the size of some smaller states in Nigeria and mainly comprising of several agrarian communities, the reopening of the hospital was an answer to their prayer, hence the celebration that marked the commissioning of the project.

    The hospital was first opened for use in 1987, by the then Minister of Health, Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti. But, it soon went moribund due to funding challenges. The facilities deteriorated and workers were redeployed to the main hospital in Ibadan, leaving the mass of residents labouring on a long journey to the state capital to access tertiary healthcare.

    Oke-Ogun communities have primary and secondary healthcare centres controlled by the state government. But a tertiary health institution is needed to complement the services rendered by those hospitals.

    An elated Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the UCH, Prof. Temitope Alonge, could not hide his joy for the realisation of what he described as his dream.

    According to him, he developed the dream since participating in the National Youth Service in Benue State in 1985. He added that the dream was fired in him while serving on the Telemedicine Committee at the UCH some years ago. Telemedicine is used to deliver medical services to distant communities using the instrument of television technology.

    Alonge expressed joy that the dream of resuscitating the health centre became a reality due to the commitment of Sen. Agboola, the Oyo State government and Sepeteri indigenes, among other stakeholders. He lauded the Oyo State government for its cooperation on the project, stressing that its cooperation and that of notable indigenes helped a great deal in making the project a reality.

    He noted that the centre would greatly improve access to quality healthcare for residents in the entire Oke-Ogun area, thereby improving the quality of life for them.

    He called on indigenes and other stakeholders to sustain their commitment to the project for continued success.

    The Chairman, Board of Management of UCH, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd), recalled that the establishment of rural comprehensive health centres was the brain child of the Federal Government in the 1980s. He disclosed that the one in Sepeteri was one of the two centres allocated to be run by the UCH, adding that it was commissioned on March 24, 1987. The second centre, according to him, was cited in Okuku, in the present Osun State.

    Akobundu said that the centres were, however, abandoned due to poor financing but that “the appeals of the management of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for support to reopen and resuscitate delivery of healthcare in these centres caught the attention of the distinguished Senator Hosea Agboola, senator representing Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.”

    He said that the senator allocated his 2013 Constituency Appropriation to the remodeling, renovation and equipping of the main hospital complex at Sepeteri, construction of a model primary health centre and construction of the first stand-alone Snake Bite Centre in the Southwest.

    He added: “The project included the procurement of a standard ambulance, utility vehicles, various laboratory and medical equipment as well as a standard X-ray machine.”

    The UCH Board Chairman also acknowledged the tremendous support given to the project by illustrious indigenes of the town including a former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Otunba Bamidele Dada and another notable indigene of Oke-Ogun, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde. While Dada endowed an Ophthalmic Unit in the hospital, Ojerinde procured furniture, mistresses, pillows and beddings for the entire hospital.

    Akobundu explained that by such supports, the facility was upgraded from a health centre to a general hospital.

    The Deputy Governor of the state, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo, who also hails from Oke-Ogun, also expressed happiness on the project.

    He disclosed that discussions on the project started in his office, hence his joy in seeing it accomplished.

    Adeyemo said the facility would open more access to residents of the area, stressing that the idea was in line with the Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s transformation, restoration and repositioning agenda.

    According to him, the Oyo State government has distributed equipment worth N600 million to all hospitals across the state. That, he said, was in addition to the Free Health Mission programme which saw hundreds of thousands of urban and rural residents benefit from free treatment and drugs.

    The Deputy Governor also disclosed that the current administration was tackling the scourge of malaria head-on by deploring facilities and free treated mosquito nets to the majority of families in the state. Overall, Adeyemo said the state government geared its efforts towards making life better for the citizenry.

    He pledged that the state government would support joint management of the hospital for effectiveness.

    Sen. Agboola said he decided to adopt the centre as his constituency project for the year 2013 after assessing the huge impact it would make on residents of the entire Oke-Ogun area.

    The lawmaker pointed out that he succeeded in inputting the project in the last year appropriation because it was the most important project he believed he could deliver to his constituency at this time.

    Agboola also lauded the management of the UCH for supervising the project as well as indigenes and other stakeholders.

    The centre has many units including those dedicated to common ailments in the area such as the Snake Bite Unit, Primary Health Care Centre and Ophthalmic Unit. It also has an X-ray Unit and staff Quarters.

    At the commissioning were traditional rulers in the area, politicians and notable indigenes.

  • Ibadan ‘forest of horror’: Police, UCH forensic experts begin probe

    Ibadan ‘forest of horror’: Police, UCH forensic experts begin probe

    •To exhume bones for analysis

    •50 ‘mentally-ill’ persons arrested

    Forensic experts from the Police and the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday began examining the Soka “forest of horror”, where dying men and women were rescued and decomposing bodies and human parts were found.

    The police team of pathologists was led by Dr. Eze Nwom and the UCH team Prof. Olawoyin. They moved to the site with another police team, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (ACCID), Dasuki Galadachi.

    They arrived at the site about 11am yesterday.

    Police spokesperson Olabisi Ilobanafor, who was with them, said they were there to exhume the bones of victims buried at the site for forensic analysis to help investigation into the activities in the forest.

    She said the analysis would spur those whose relations are missing to go for DNA tests to enable investigators match results and determine if the missing persons were killed in the “forest of horror”.

    Men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) were at the site.

    Ilobanafor said: “Three teams are here, led by Galadachi from the State CID. One of the forensic teams from the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, is led by Babale Aminu. Aminu was sent by the Inspector-General of Police with four others, including a forensic pathologist, Dr. Eze Nwom, who led the team of pathologists. A professor, Dr. Olawoyin from UCH, is also with them. He deals with anything from the throat to the head.

    “They are here to pick up evidence and exhume bones that were buried for forensic analysis. Another reason is futuristic, so that anybody whose relatives might have been declared missing could go for forensic test to determine whether they are related to any of the bones.

    “People whose family members or relatives have been declared missing are free to go for DNA test or forensic test to establish if they are related to the bones found there.

    “The reason for the investigation is to get to the root of the matter, to assist the police in ensuring that evidence are not lost and that the investigation is done scientifically and diligently.”

    She said the site would be handed over to the government after the investigation.

    Ilobanafor dispelled rumours that a dungeon exists in the forest, adding that none has been found.

    She said: “There is no dungeon here. It is not true. Nobody is trapped.”

    Over 50 suspected mentally-ill persons have been arrested by the police, following the attack on mentally-ill people by Ibadan residents on the suspicion that they were ritualists.

    The mentally-ill persons were apprehended by mobs on the allegation that human parts and incriminating items were found on them.

    Ilobanafor said: “The suspects have been handed over to the government for psychiatric test to determine their health status. For those on whom we found incriminating objects or suspected human parts, they will be sent back to us for prosecution after the psychiatric test.”

     

     

  • UCH to perform 11 ‘Awake’ open-heart surgeries in April

    The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, will perform 11 open-heart surgeries in April, Prof. Kamar Adeleke, Chairman of the hospital’s Department of Intervention Cardiovascular, said on Monday.

    Adeleke told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that arrangements were being concluded to facilitate the surgeries.

    According to him, the operation is tagged ‘Awake Surgery’ because the patients would be conscious during surgery, adding that “medication will be given to take the edge off while the operation lasted’’.

    He said that the Department of Intervention Cardiovascular was limited financially and was seeking for cash donations from well–meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations.

    Adeleke said that the department was partnering with some institutions, including Babcock University, Obafemi Awolowo University and Aliko Dangote Health Institution.

    He named other partners as the Kano Teaching Hospital, MTN Health Foundation, and the Lagos State Government.

    Adeleke said that a team of Nigerian surgeons recently carried out a successful catheterisation surgery without the supervision of foreign experts.

    He said that more than 200 patients were awaiting cardiovascular surgery at the UCH, adding that 11 of them were short-listed for the operation.

    He said that the Intervention Cardiovascular Department was able to source for funds for surgery for six of the 11 patients.

    Adeleke said that Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, wife of the Oyo State governor, and the Lagos State Government would sponsor three patients each, adding that each operation would cost two million naira.

    He appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to support the department in carrying out the tasks.

    It would be recalled that Adeleke led a team of experts in 2013 to perform the first successful open-heart surgery at UCH.

     

  • YMAA: Posthumous honour for Bisi Komolafe

    YMAA: Posthumous honour for Bisi Komolafe

    THE organisers of the Yoruba Movie Academy Awards (YMAA) have set plans in motion to honour the late actress, Bisi Komolafe, alongside other movie legends like the late Duro Ladipo, late Kola Ogunmola, Professor Akinwunmi Ishola, Lanre Hassan and Adebayo Falaeti.

    The event is scheduled to hold on Sunday, March 30, at the Civic Centre, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State.

    According to Tunde Oshinibosi, a.k.a Laface, the award ceremony is hinged on objectivity, transparency, trust and reliability. “YMAA is a celebration of creativity in the Yoruba movie industry. It will light up the cultural and historic city of Ibadan, amidst glamour, style and paparazzi,” he said.

    Komolafe’s sudden death at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan at the age of 27 on December 31, 2012 sent shockwaves through the industry.

    The late actress attended St. Louis Grammar School, Mokola, Ibadan and later studied Business Administration at Lagos State University (LASU).

    The second child in a family of five children, Komolafe started her career in theatre as part of her drama unit. She later went into professional drama when she joined the Odunfa Caucus, while waiting to gain admission into LASU.

    Komolafe is credited to have produced four major movies including Latonwa, Oka, Igboro ti Daru and Eja Tutu. She also starred in numerous movies such as Aiye Ore Meji, Leyin Mi, Irawe Oke, Akanmole, Apere Ori, Omolomo Larin Ero, Eberu Bojo and Mofe Jayo Ebute, among others.