Speech: VP Osinbajo’s Address at UCH’s 60th Anniversary in Ibadan

It is a special pleasure to be here to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the leading tertiary health facility in Nigeria. The management and workers at University College Hospital, Ibadan, have every cause to celebrate this milestone.

“Oritamefa”, as UCH is fondly called, has attained the status of legend, pioneering complex health procedures in Nigeria, and spearheading landmark medical research of global relevance.

From the beginning, the vision, according to the 1952 broadcast of Sir Sydney Phillipson, CMG, was to build a “consultant medical centre for the whole country”, from which “will go out highly qualified doctors for service throughout Nigeria.”

In August 1952, the Federal House of Representatives sitting in Lagos passed ‘the UCH Ordinance’ which established a University College Hospital for the University College, Ibadan (now University of Ibadan). Construction started in 1954, and, on this day 60 years ago, the University College Hospital, Ibadan, was commissioned for use.

In the last 60 years, UCH has also produced some of the most accomplished and most distinguished medical personnel the world has seen.

Let me specially recognize the first Nigerian medical doctor to be employed in the University College Hospital, and who went on to become the first Emeritus Professor of Medicine of the University of Ibadan, and the first Nigerian in history to obtain the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of England, our own Emeritus Prof. Theophilus Ogunlesi, the UCH 60th anniversary lecturer. In the early 1960s, Emeritus Professor Ogunlesi founded the world-renowned Ibarapa Community Health Project, to incorporate local content into the London-oriented curriculum of the University of Ibadan.

Since those early days, UCH has gone on to open new frontiers in health care service delivery. It was the first medical institution in Nigeria to launch Nuclear Medicine services, the first to introduce Palliative and Hospice Care services for end-of-life and chronic debilitating diseases, and the first to open a Geriatric Centre in Africa – the Chief Tony Anenih Geriatric Centre, which began operations in 2012, and today, we’ve just commissioned the Adebutu Geriatric Rehabilitation Centre.

UCH is also responsible for pioneering interventions in heart and brain surgery in Nigeria, as well as the development of the award-winning Bladder Manikin, which has been patented for use as a medical teaching-aid in low-income countries.

However we must acknowledge that the last few decades have not exactly been a stellar period for healthcare in Nigeria; marked by the same tragic malaise of underfunding, neglect and corruption that have left no aspect of our national life untouched. Medical workers know more than the rest of us that, without acknowledging and diagnosing a condition, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to prescribe and implement the appropriate solutions.

The sad state of affairs in our healthcare system has led to dismal levels of professional satisfaction amongst our medical personnel, and is at the root of the alarming brain drain that has depopulated institutions like this. While this should never have happened in the first place, we now have an incredible opportunity to fight hard to win back our best brains, and to give emerging generations of our medical personnel a new reason to believe in their country and its possibilities.

But first we must create the right conditions at home, by investing in infrastructure, and vigorously fighting the corruption that underlies much of the decline and rot. We must also as a matter of urgency redefine our approach to healthcare delivery, management of healthcare institutions and enabling the private sector a prominent place in our healthcare delivery.

As for the Federal Government, we made our health policy clear: we want to offer affordable, accessible and qualitative healthcare to all Nigerians and others irrespective of social status and location. At the heart of this vision is our goal of providing basic healthcare to all Nigerians, as this will cater to over 70 percent of healthcare needs. Our Primary Healthcare Revitalization Programme was personally flagged off by Mr. President at Kuchigoro, a suburb of Abuja, last year.

UCH is an important part of the narrative; complementing this initiative through its Rural Comprehensive Health Centres located at Sepeteri in Oyo State and Okuku in Osun state.

In addition, UCH’s four federally-funded Schools – responsible for training Primary Health Care Tutors, Community Health Officers Tutors, Nurse/Midwifery Tutors and Environmental Health Officers Tutors have been meeting Nigeria’s manpower training needs for decades now; and graduates from these institutions constitute the backbone of Primary Health Care and Comprehensive Health Care delivery in Nigeria.

I am also pleased to note that UCH is one of the initial eight tertiary health facilities that the Buhari administration will be upgrading, through the investment of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

Your Excellencies, Faculty and Staff of the UCH, it is on the present leadership of this great institution that the burden of attaining the vision so inspiringly set six decades ago now lies.

But that task will require a paradigm shift in our thinking about funding and management. It is clearer by the day that Government alone cannot adequately fund most of its infrastructure commitments.

For the first time in almost two decades we are spending as much as 30% of our budget on infrastructure. Our 2016 capital spend of about N1.3 trillion is the highest in the nation’s history. Yet we are still a long way from adequately dealing with the massive infrastructure deficit. We have to seek greater private sector funding.

A well-resourced endowment programme is one. It is gratifying to see that as part of these 60th anniversary celebrations, UCH is also launching an endowment fund. The challenge is in ensuring that management and administration of the fund is resourced with the capacity to aggressively and creatively grow the endowment. Aside from philanthropy, there are important linkages that must be established with commerce and industry that may encourage the private sector to actively support the clinical, research and teaching functions of the Hospital.

Collaboration is the tested strategy for the future. Fortunately UCH itself has a long history of being involved in game-changing collaborations; more than 50 years ago, the Ibarapa Community Programme was the joint effort of the University of Ibadan, the Government of the Western Region, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and the Ibarapa community. We must now create similar partnerships, locally and internationally.

It is now clearer than ever before that the private sector is the key to settling the institution’s funding needs. The discipline of justifying funds given by the private sector will be important in the prudent and effective use of funds. I commend the management of the hospital for adopting Public Private Partnership initiatives in many areas of service delivery. Our ultimate funding plan is the comprehensive retooling of the NHIS. We fully appreciate that there is no way of effectively funding healthcare for a nation that will have the fourth largest population in the world by 2050 without a fully operational National Health Insurance Scheme.

As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of this distinguished institution, I would like us to take a moment to look into the future, to create in our minds a picture of what we would like the next 60 years of UCH to look like. I was excited to hear Prof. Emeritus Ogunlesi project to a UCH 40 years hence. But let us, today, begin with what the next decade must look like. UCH will undoubtedly be a global centre of excellence, staffed by highly motivated personnel, producing cutting-edge and commercially viable research that helps to underwrite a large chunk of its funding needs.

That picture of UCH 2027 must necessarily incorporate the emerging technologies that are already defining every aspect of human existence: artificial intelligence, robotics, data science, and the Internet of things. There is a strong possibility that the UCH of 2027 will require on its payroll as many software engineers as medical personnel. The sophistication that will be required to run hospitals then will compel us to exit the approach of burdening academics with hospital management which, as we know, is really a distinct professional discipline. In this exciting new future, real time partnerships with centres of excellence around the globe will be crucial, and so investment in broadband infrastructure will be a massive game changer. That future is already here.

Finally, may I once again congratulate the management and staff of University College Hospital on this milestone commemoration, and join you all in looking forward to an even greater sixty years ahead. I thank you for listening.

God bless the University College Hospital, Ibadan, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
20 November 2017

Press Release: Press Release: The National School Feeding Programme now feeds over 5 Million Pupils Daily; Collaborates with Ministry of Health for De-worming Exercise

In furtherance of its goal to tackle poverty and hunger, and to create jobs for Nigerians in line with its inclusive growth plan, the Buhari administration’s National Home-Grown School Feeding (NHGSF) Programme is now in 19 states across the federation. They include Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta, Abia, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Imo, Jigawa and Niger states.

So far, over five million pupils (5,226,039) in 28,249 schools in these states are currently been fed under the programme, while Kano and Katsina states are expected to be added to the beneficiaries states in the coming weeks.

Also, over 50,000 cooks are currently engaged under the programme.

The school feeding programme, which is part of President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s N500 billion National Social Investment Programmes, NSIP, has a target to feed 5.5 million schoolchildren by the end of 2017.

Meanwhile, the School Feeding Programme is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health to deliver an integrated deworming programme for pupils in all public primary schools classes 1 to 6 across 17 states currently under the NHGSFP in the country.

At least 243 Local Government Areas will benefit from the deworming exercise in the 17 states, including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Niger, Osun, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, Anambra, Benue, Imo, Kano, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Delta and Plateau states.

The integrated programme, which is scheduled for the first and second week of December in these states, will deliver three different drugs for the treatment of diseases endemic to specific states; particularly schistosomiasis; soil-transmitted helminths and river blindness/onchocerciasis. The drugs to be distributed are Albendazole, Ivermectin and Parazaquintel.

Supported by the Federal Government, three facilitators would be within the states for the period to achieve these objectives and ensure that the pupils in these states are dewormed.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
20 November 2017

Press Release: 81st NEC Meeting

Both the Federal Government and State governments would be working together to forge a common front in the nation’s bid for industrialisation.

This was one of the highlights at the National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, earlier today at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa.

The Council had received a presentation on the work of the recently inaugurated Advisory Council that has top private sector and public sector officials, and industry chieftains as members. The Council is chaired by Prof. Osinbajo and has the mandate to identify key and practical areas where both public and private sectors can work together to significantly accelerate Nigeria’s industrial drive.

After the presentation was made to the Council, a committee of Governors from the nation’s six geo-political zones was formed to work with the Council in order to get the States actively involved in the national industrialisation effort by receiving and reviewing recommendations of the Council and fashioning out how best to implement them.

Highlights of the Meeting:

A. Presentation From The Nigeria Industrial Policy And Competitiveness Advisory Council (NIPCAC) By The Honourable Minister Of State, Industry, Trade and Investment

NIPCAC identifies obstacles to industrialization, recommend new measures.

The Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment made a presentation to the Council on the activities of the Nigeria Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council (NIPCAC) thereafter referred to as the NIPCAC.

She informed the Council that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the establishment of NIPCAC in March 2017 as a vehicle for partnering with the private sector to drive Nigeria’s industrialization agenda.

Giving the Council an update on the work of NIPCAC, the Minister said NIPCAC has identified eight critical areas requiring urgent government intervention to move the country’s industrialization to the next level. These include:

-Improving broadband penetration nationwide.
-Resolving the nagging issue of multiple taxation.
-Facilitating access to land.
-Providing security to investments.
-Standardizing regulatory requirements.
-Facilitating interacted business linkages.
-Collaborating on project development and maintenance.
-Providing shared facilities.
-Informing the Council that the key role private sector plays in the telecom sector has committed to deploy an additional 18,000km of fibre cables nationwide over the next 12 – 18 months, the Minister prayed the Council to, among others, approve the following:
-Harmonization of Right of Way charges on State and Local Government highways with the Federal Government, which currently charges N145/m.
-Improve access to fibre installation across the States.
-Adopt the 2015 approved list of taxes and levels.
-Discontinue the use of unorthodox means of collection.
-Fast track automation of the entire tax administration and process to eliminate leakages and ensure ease of payment.
-Set up a single collection point for States and Local Government’s fees and levels.
-Develop a digitized land acquisition system.
-Establish a peer review Committee on industrialization ranking of all States of the Federation.

The Council decided that a Committee of Governors be set up to receive and review recommendations from the Advisory Council.

The Council also nominated 6 State Governors to be members of the Committee representing the 6 geopolitical zones to work with the NIPCAC in order to advance the course of national industrialization and competitiveness.

The States are Kaduna (N/W), Kwara (N/C), Ogun (S/W), Abia (S/E), Edo (S/S) and Adamawa (N/E). The Kaduna State Governor will chair the Committee.

B. Presentation On Flood Outlook And Current Flood Situation In The Country By The Director-General Of The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)

The Director-General of NEMA briefed Council on the flood situation in Nigeria since the 2012 flood disaster in the country, disclosing that the FG has released N1.6 billion for flood relief, which will be used for intervention in the coming weeks in the affected states.

He told the Council that the 2012 flood affected over 7 million people, while 597,476 houses were destroyed/damaged and over 363 people killed. The total estimate of damages and losses was put at N2.6 trillion.

On the current flood situation in the country, the DG informed Council that 9 States have so far benefitted from relief interventions. They are Benue, Kebbi, Ekiti, Kogi, Edo, Ondo, Sokoto, Niger and Enugu.

Other States affected by the 2017 flood will receive relief materials in the coming weeks.

The DG appealed to all 36 States of the Federation and the 774 Local Government areas to establish functional State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and Local Council Emergency Management Committees (LEMEs) and provide professional training, adequate equipment, funding and early Warning Systems in order to combat future emergencies.

The Council noted that NEMA is a second respondent to disaster only when they are found to be well beyond the capacity of States and Local Governments to manage.

C. Presentation On Some Aspects Of The Nation’s Health Status By Honourable Minister Of Health

The Honourable Minister of Health presented a National Health Status report, informing Council as to where we are, where we want to be, and what can be done to take us where should be.

The Minister also dispelled rumours of Monkey Pox allegedly ravaging 7 States of the Federation.

He informed the Council that only Bayelsa State has 3 confirmed cases of Monkey Pox.

He told the Council that the Military is not involved in Vaccination in any State of the Federation and that any information to the contrary is false.

Addressing the Council, the face of Polio eradication campaign in Nigeria, His Eminence, told the Council that his presence in Council today implies total commitment by the traditional institution in Nigeria to the eradication of Polio in the country.

His Eminence was also accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Foundation and other Development Partners engaged in the fight against Polio and other related diseases such as Measles and Yellow Fever.

The Council particularly applauded His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad for his commitment to the eradication of Polio in the country.

The Council noted that Nigeria is making very good progress in Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization, but urged States to honour their counterpart funds so as to take immunization in the country to the next level.

D. An Update On Polio Eradication Initiatives And Strengthening Of Routine Immunization Presented By The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHDA)

Federal Government rolls out measles vaccination plans ahead of 2017/2018 dry season.

The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) briefed the council on preparations for measles Vaccination ahead of the 2017/2018 dry season, the period normally associated with outbreaks of measles.

He informed the Council that the Campaign is to be conducted in two phases, with phase one taking care of all the 19 Northern States and the FCT as follows:

N/W 26th – 31st October, 2017 and 2nd – 7th November, 2017

N/E 30th November, – 5th December, 2017 and 7th December, – 12th December, 2017

N/C FCT 1st – 6th February, 2018 and 8th – 13th February, 2018.

Phase two will take care of 17 Southern States from 8th – 13th and 15th – 20th March, 2018.

The Executive Director also told Council that 12 States have already paid their counterpart funding for the exercise.

He listed the States to include; Bayelsa, Borno, Edo, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Osun, Sokoto and Zamfara.

24 states are yet to meet their obligation for the vaccination campaign.

He requested the Council to appeal to States who are yet to meet their obligations to act urgently to enable the campaign take off on schedule in all States of the Federation.

He also appealed to the Council to support:

a. Quarterly release of funds for routine immunization activities.

b. States to set up Emergency routine immunization Coordination Centres as a platform to coordinate and manage routine immunization activities.

c. Directly support and commit to the implementation of the 2017/2018 Measles Vaccination Campaign.

E. Update On Excess Crude Account And Budget Support Loan Facility

The Honourable Minister of Finance briefed the Council on the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and the Budget Support Loan Facility to States of the Federation.

She informed the Council that the balance in the Excess Crude Account as at 16th October, 2017 stands at $2,309,636,457.88 billion.

On the Budget Support Loan Facility, the HMF told the Council that there was no budget support loan facility for last month to any State, because the FAAC was in excess of N600 billion. It has been agreed that beyond that threshold there will be no budget support loan facility.

F. Update On Stabilization Fund Account And Natural Resources Development Fund

The Accountant General of the Federation briefed the Council on the current balances in the Stabilization Fund Account and the Natural Resources Development Fund.

He told Council that the balance in the Stabilization Fund Account as at 16th October, 2017 stands at N5,853,204,804.11 billion.

He also informed Council that the balance in the Natural Resources Development Account as at 16th October, 2017 stands at N93,114,896,509.12 billion.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
19 October 2017