The House of Representatives has given a standing ovation to Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye, a United States-based Nigerian surgeon for successfully conducting a tumour surgery on a female pregnant woman.

The Federal Government had also congratulated him for carrying out a successful operation on an unborn baby with the tumour in her mother’s womb.

Considering a motion on it by Hon. Linus Okorie, PDP, Ebonyi, the lawmakers who also urged the government to list the surgeon for the next national honours award. He said the commendation was apt in expressing gratitude to the numerous giant strides being recorded by Nigerians in diaspora.
[ad]
They urged Speaker Yakubu Dogara to formally convey their gratitude to him and invite him whenever he was in Nigeria for further recognition.

Also, the lawmakers asked the relevant House committee to liaise with relevant units of government to fast-track the National Diaspora Guideline aimed at harnessing engagements with Nigerians abroad for growth and report back to the House in eight weeks.

Olutoye and his surgeon partner Dr. Darrell Cass of Texas Children’s Hospital, carried out an operation on a foetus in 23 weeks. The baby, Lynlee Hope, who suffered from a tumour known as Sacrococcygeal Teratoma was removed from her mother’s womb, operated on and returned. She healed and continued to grow until she was born again at 36 weeks.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated this in a statement to felicitate with Olutoye on behalf of the President and people of Nigeria.

She said President Muhammadu Buhari received the news of Olutoye’s unique feat with excitement and fulfillment, looking forward to meeting with him soonest for saving lives and projecting a good image for Nigeria.

Dabiri-Erewa commended Nigerians in the diaspora for their positive roles in enhancing the image of the country and playing great roles in all sectors. She assured that her office was working on having a database for all the Nigeria achievers. Olutoye received his medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, in 1988 and his PhD in anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, in 1996.

He is a member of the International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society and is a Fellow of the Surgical Section of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Surgeons; he is also a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons.