Date: 2018-03-28

Newly appointed chairman, board of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Olorogun Otega Emerhor, has disclosed the readiness of the board and management to move the UITH to its next level.

He said he would, in collaboration with stakeholders place the hospital on a pedestal of quality health service delivery to the people of Kwara and beyond. He promised to strike veritable synergies with private sector and turn the hospital into a model for other health institutions in Sub-saharan Africa.

Emerhor, a Delta born business mogul, unveiled the plans during a recent visit to the Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari and Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Professor Sulyman Age Abdulkareem. Members of the Board are: Masud Taiwo (Ogun), Folajimi Olaseinde (Ondo) and Sanni Dododo (Kebbi); Acting Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UITH, Professor M.O. Buhari, representative of the Federal Ministry of Health, Ugboko Christopher, representatives of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Adewunmi Alayaki; University of Ilorin, Professor Adegboyega Fawole; and Kwara State Ministry of Health and Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Ola Adefila, among others.

Emerhor said: "We will provide quality health care services to the people of Kwara State, especially those in Ilorin. Besides, we train students to become medical doctors. But we have observed, among other things, that the issue of health is not what we can do alone.

"We need to involve more sectors. As we ponder on this, we have equally discovered that we can do more for this institution and turn it into a medical hub in this part of the world."

Listing some of the challenges of the UITH, he said the issue of continual encroachment on the hospital's land despite having a favourable court judgment, was important to him.

Responding, Ahmed said he would spread the tentacles of his developmental drives to cover such areas as UITH as; Solar Energy provisions, fixing of the 500 meters road and provisions of water for the needs of the hospital, its patients and their relatives.

The governor, however, urged the board and the management to fine tune a virile dialogue between them and the trespassers of the UITH land as it remains the best available option to settle land rifts in Africa.

Speaking, the Emir expressed delight for receiving the UITH team, noting that their representations in the board cutting across Nigeria, is similar to the nature of Ilorin famous as, "cosmopolitan city."