Awotuyi’s lifeline for UITH’s Paediatric ward

What is the success in a safe delivery, but badly managed in an outdated pediatrics ward? Apostle Oluwole Awotuyi does not want any baby to die, so he decided to donate a sprawling Emergency Pediatric Ward (EPW) to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).

The ward, an auto door entrance, fully equipped with instruments and machines described as second to none in African sub Sahara, by an Emeritus Professor of Pediatric, Adeoye Adeniyi is valued at over N150million.

Awotuyi, the Chairman of an Ilorin based Pharmaceutical Company, ‘Tuyil Industries Limited’ (TIL), according to the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the UITH Professor Abdulwaheed Olatinwo “has no business link” with the hospital but donated the EPW due to his philanthropic attitude and passion to serve humanity with his God’s given wealth.

Some of the facilities inside the ward include; procedure room, consultation rooms, emergency resuscitation room, consultant lounge, emergency theatre, male/female interns call rooms, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit toilet and cubicle. Tuyil, said to be the largest Pharmaceutical Industry in Sub-Saharan African has produced over 42 human drugs and 15 animal drugs, variously in the market, having obtained all the necessary permits and or received authorisation from NAFDAC, and other regulatory bodies.

At the handing over event on Friday, May 27, coinciding with the Children’s Day Celebration, who is who at the management level of the UITH and top echelon staff at the Pediatric section of the hospital were present with renewed pledge and dedication to duties.These included, Chief Medical Advisory Council, (CMAC), Professor Olayinka Buhari, Director of Administrator Alhaji Olanrewaju Yusuf, Head of Department Pediatric, Professor Kolade Ernest, his predecessor, Professor Ayodele Ojuawo, Professor Olugbenga Mokuolu, and Paediatric Surgeon Professor James Adeniran.

Speaking on the epoch making event, where the donor, Awotuyi was surprisingly absent but represented by his wife, Mrs ‘Ranti Awotuyi, the donor said the neglect of the future of the Nigerian child, especially in the area of his health and the need for effective Corporate Social Corporation (CSR) made him to donate the massive ward.

“The questions that remain to be answered are; what is to be done with the knowledge of the problems that children face? Or, what is the ultimate end of the awareness? Is it not so that action can be taken thereof? Unfortunately, the children’s day has been converted to mere academic discussion, gathering of public sympathy for the plight of kids and nothing more.”

He added, “We must go from merely raising awareness to addressing the issues that bedevil these children, threaten their future, and seek to satisfy their potential for greatness. We must begin to address those issues headlong. One of the challenges that children face bothers on health”.

For the elated CMD of the UITH, the donation of the facility would take care of the immediate and future needs of the most vulnerable class (children) of the society.
Olatinwo added, “Can our society confidently boast of having secured the immediate present, as well as, the future of these children? Children are often the most affected by decisions or indecisions of the adults that surround them be it on the home front, or at the governmental level, mostly because they are defenceless.The hospital boss rated the nation’s performance in the child health care indices lower when compared with those of other developing nations the world over.

According to him, “while the worldwide average of under five year old mortality rate in 2015 was 46 per 1000, our country’s under five year old mortality rate was two and a half times higher than the global average with 109th per 1000. When nations were ranked on a log we were number 7 from behind. Among the 10 lowest ranked countries 8 are currently at war or were recently war torn countries, leaving only Nigeria and Benin Republic as the only peaceful nations with dismal statistics.”