Seyi Tinubu establishes drug bank for indigent patients at UCH

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko

Mr Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, has donated a drug bank for indigent patients in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Pediatric Pharmacy units of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

Launching the project at UCH on Thursday, Dr Cole Ayodele, the National Coordinator for Seyi Tinubu Maternal and Child Health Intervention Scheme, said the goal was to reduce the rate of maternal and infant mortality.

Ayodele said the initiative was established to administer free medicines and delivery materials to 60 tertiary hospitals across Nigeria.

He said: “It is  because of the outstanding work being done at UCH, as a premier teaching hospital in Nigeria, Tinubu chose the hospital as one of the early beneficiaries of the nationwide project.

“You may already know the staggering unfortunate statistics of infant mortality in Nigeria, which as at last year stood at 54.74 deaths per 1000 live births, while the Nigeria maternal mortality rate for 2020 was 1,047 per 100,000 live births.

“Our maternal mortality is about the 4th highest in the world, and according to World Health Organisation `nearly 20 per cent of all global maternal deaths happen in Nigeria’.

“ A Nigerian woman has a one in 22 lifetime risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth or immediate postpartum/post-abortion period.”

According to him, the goal of Mr Seyi Tinubu in the Maternal and Child Health Intervention Scheme is to attain and possibly surpass the SDG Goal 3 in Nigeria, on Maternal and Infant Mortality.

“The SDG Goal 3  on Maternal and Infant Mortality targets to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by year 2030.

“While at the same time frame, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under five years of age, with Nigeria aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least 12 per 1,000 live births and under-five mortality to at least 25 per 1,000 live births,” he said.

He said the project sought to support indigent patients who may not be able to afford hospital bills with the revolving scheme for free drugs and free materials for safe delivery.

Ayodele added that 10,000 indigent patients should benefit from free drugs and delivery supplies per month and the scheme would be established in 60 tertiary hospitals in North and South Nigeria in the first phase.

“After this first phase, the programme will be cascaded down to the Secondary and Primary Care levels in General Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres.

“Besides this scheme, we are currently working out modalities to add donation of Point of Care Ultrasound equipment to the Labour Wards and Antenatal Clinics in our beneficiary hospitals, which would be backed up with adequate end-user training to ensure optimal and efficient utilisation of each equipment in the hospitals when we have them delivered.

“The passion to save the life of children by Mr Seyi Tinubu also extends to supporting the Pediatricians that take care of our children.

“Therefore, he has launched a scholarship scheme for resident doctors who are in the final year of their pediatrics residency programme with a scholarship grant of N1 million to support them in registration and preparation for their final fellowship examination.

“The drug bank for indigent patients is a revolving scheme.

“Therefore, we require your timely and regular feedback, so that medicines and consumables that are going out of stock among the items you have received today, would promptly be replenished,” Ayodele said.

The representative of Tinubu, Mr Amin Ojeje, remarked that Tinubu’s love and compassion for children compelled him to establish the scheme.

Tinubu emphasised that access to healthcare was not a privilege but a right for citizens.

He thanked the UCH Ibadan for its professional assistance.

“The patients are valued because their health matter, we hope that the hospital will cooperate with us to see how we can expand the scope and capture more indigent patients,” Tinubu said.

The UCH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Abiodun Adeoye, promised that the hospital would do its best to ensure the project was successful.

“This project is a highly commendable one, we are proud to be identified with it, going extra mile to appreciate the Resident Doctors will reduce the ‘japa’ syndrome in Nigeria.

“It will also reduce out-of-pocket money that would have been paid by indigent patients,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dr Ifeoma Ude, a Senior Registrar in Pediatrics, was awarded a N1 million scholarship in cash, for distinguishing herself in the line of duty in caring for children in UCH.

The cash is a support from Tinubu toward the completion of Ude’s fellowship programme.

Responding, Ude expressed her profound gratitude to Seyi Tinubu’s foundation and the UCH management for the scholarship.

“I’m super excited to receive this award and honour. The support will surely make my research works a reality,” she said. (NAN)