Residents of Ifetedo and neighbouring communities in Osun State are expected to benefit from improved surgical care following the donation of a fully equipped multi-million naira operating theatre to the General Hospital, Ifetedo, by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Yusuf Ali.

Speaking at the commissioning of the facility on Friday, Ali said the donation, made through the Yusuf Olaolu Ali (YOA) Foundation, was aimed at expanding access to quality healthcare in line with the World Health Organisation’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goal.

He thanked Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, for attending the event and acknowledged the state government for providing the building that houses the theatre.

According to him, the theatre is equipped with modern medical equipment that will improve the hospital’s capacity to handle surgical procedures.

The equipment includes a patient transfer stretcher, wheelchair, multi-parameter patient monitor, instrument trolley, drip stand, oxygen concentrator, adult and infant Ambu bags, electric suction machine, shadowless LED theatre light, angle poise lamp, diathermy machine, hydraulic operating table, Mayo table, kick bucket, anaesthesia machine, surgical stool and a 100-litre digital autoclave steam steriliser.

Ali said he had been informed that the equipment would enable the hospital to perform virtually all routine surgical procedures, except highly specialised operations such as open-heart surgery and kidney transplants.

“I was reliably informed that, except for open-heart surgery and kidney transplant, the equipment in this theatre can be used to perform virtually every other common surgical procedure,” he said.

He urged the Osun State Government to deploy qualified medical personnel to maximise the use of the facility.

Ali also commended the management and staff of the General Hospital, Ifetedo, for their commitment to healthcare delivery and expressed hope that the new theatre would improve medical services in the community.

He added that the facility would help ensure more residents have access to quality surgical care regardless of their social or economic status.