Ogun Leaders Commend Czech Republic, Otunba Adewunmi for ICU Donation

Rebecca Ejifoma

The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, led a coterie of indigenes in commending the Czech Republic and Otunba Femi Adewunmi, the Atunluse of Owu-Ijebu for donating a fully-equipped intensive care unit (ICU) to the state.

The commendation came during the activities marking the official handover and commissioning of the 122-bed health facility valued at over N200 million held on December 2 this year.

Abiodun, represented by the Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Nimot Salako-Oyedele, said the donation of the facility is a testimony to the state’s developmental drive.

“I am particularly excited about this donation of a 122-bed Intensive Care Unit and neo-natal incubators within the premises of the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ife.

“This new development is, for me, a celebration and acknowledgement of the continued development of Ogun State through a robust Public-Private-Partnership.”

He also thanked the donors, adding that the facility would greatly expand the capacity of the hospital, make advanced healthcare available locally to their people and save more lives.

He continued that this gesture has also demonstrably shown how the influence of an individual’s social connection can facilitate development to their community.

Other leaders who took turns to eulogise the donors included Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr (Mrs) Tomi Coker; the Olowu of Owu-Ijebu,Oba Michael Adesina; and Oba Adefesan Oguntayo, the Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife, among others.

Zdenek Krejci, the Czech Republic Ambassador to Nigeria, said the donation is part of his country’s desire to assist Nigeria as it aspires to make quality healthcare easily accessible to Nigerians.

“This special event of donating the ICU equipment is, not only to help the Nigerian government in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to assist in the treatment of other health issues.

“The project is a result of discussions between the Czech Republic and Nigeria – what Nigeria needs the most, what is not here, and what the Czech Republic can provide.”

The ambassador informed that the Czech Republic has made similar donations to two other states in the country at a cost of €1.2m.

In his remarks, Adewunmi, represented at the event by his sister, Mrs Temitope Jemerigbe, said the decision to collaborate with Czech Republic was borne out of the desire to deliver healthcare to the rural communities.

“Most of the healthcare facilities in the rural areas of the state lack specialist equipment to treat patients who require intensive care attention.

” Such patients would be required to make the tortuous journey to the urban communities or the state capital to get the adequate attention that they need,” he noted.

In some cases, he emphasised, we lose such patients even before they get to these ICU facilities.

With this facility situated right here in Ijebu-Ife, such patients from this and neighbouring communities could easily access it and get the specialist attention they need.

He, therefore, enjoined the people of the area to make adequate use of the facility.

The ICU facility has, among other units, neo-natal incubators for children born before their full-term, emergency and surgical theatre, isolation centre for adults and children, monitoring unit, decontamination room, maternity ward, paediatric and emergency.

CAPTION: Mrs Nimot Salako-Oyedele, Ogun State deputy governor (2nd Left), Tomi Coker, Ogun State Commissioner for Health (left); Zdenek Krejci, the Czech Republic Ambassador to Nigeria (2nd right), and a representative of Otunba Femi Adewunmi, Temitope Jemerigbe (Right) at the commissioning of the 122-bed Intensive Care Unit donated by the Czech Republic, in collaboration with Otunba Femi Adewunmi

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