Health
Otunba Subomi Balogun Hands Over Otunba Tunwase National Paediatrics Centre to UI, UCH
The founder of FCMB Group and notable philanthropist, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun (CON), has formally handed over his Otunba Tunwase National Paediatrics Centre (OTNPC), located at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, to the management of the University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital (UCH).
The gesture is part of his conscious efforts towards ensuring that Nigerians, especially children, have access to world-class healthcare facilities and specialised treatment services. The cost of the hospital is estimated at over N5 billion.
The transfer of the hospital to UI and UCH was preceded by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which clearly states how the centre is to be managed by the parties, on October 1, 2020, in Lagos.
The formal handover ceremony, which took place on January 19, 2021, at the premises of the hospital, was attended by the Group Chief Executive, FCMB Group and Board Chairman, Otunba Tunwase Foundation, Mr Ladi Balogun; the Group Head, Corporate Affairs of FCMB, Mr Diran Olojo; the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Adebola Ekanola, (who was unavoidably absent) and was represented by the Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor Yinka Omigbodun; the management of University College Hospital led by its Chief Medical Director, Professor Abiodun Otegbayo; the Interim Transition Management Committee of OTNPC led by the Chairman, Dr Adeyinka Hassan, as well as other eminent personalities.
In his address, Mr Ladi Balogun, who represented Otunba Balogun, gave an insight into what inspired the business mogul to take up the extraordinary philanthropic project almost 11 years ago.
He recalled that, “the inspiration by Otunba Olasubomi Balogun to build this great establishment started when he took over the children’s hospital at the UCH Ibadan, where he was exposed to the true plight of sick children and the high demand for world-class facilities to cater for their needs in a sustainable manner.
“An interaction with the then Minister of Health, late Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, further propelled Otunba Balogun to do more in terms of the provision of world-class medical facilities. The exposure and interaction later became the brainchild of this N5 billion establishment, credited as a prototype of the Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London, United Kingdom.”
Speaking on the banking icon’s decision to hand over the control and management of the centre to UI and UCH, Mr Balogun disclosed that, “at the end of its construction, some institutions requested to manage the hospital, but Otunba Balogun strongly believes that the University of Ibadan and University College Hospital are in a better position to do that effectively and further raise its status, considering their respective pedigrees.”
He further explained that, “following the signing of the MoU last year by all the concerned parties, the resolution is that while the University College Hospital has been mandated to provide clinical services, the University of Ibadan will engage in research and other academic works, while students from UI would also be involved as part of the training”.
Appreciating the gesture, the Chief Medical Director, UCH Ibadan, Professor Otegbayo, said that it is an indisputable fact that the health and welfare of society are critical to the development of any community.
According to him, “we at the UCH are grateful for this opportunity to contribute to the well-being of residents in Ijebu community, Ogun State and Nigeria at large. We promise that as soon as all the legal nuances are sorted out, we shall fully move in and continue with what UCH is known for; unequalled provision of health care services, research and training”.
Commenting further on Otunba Balogun’s continuous generosity, he stressed that, “the UCH is not just witnessing the generosity and benevolence of Otunba Balogun now. Many years ago, he endowed the Otunba Tunwase Children Emergency Ward in UCH and he has been funding the ward since then. A lot of children have been saved there, while training and research in paediatrics have been going on unhindered.”
In her remarks, the Provost, College of Medicine, Professor Omigbodun, expressed delight at the official hand over of the hospital to both the university and UCH. She lauded Otunba Balogun for handing over the management of the hospital to the institutions.
According to her, “we are extremely grateful to Otunba Subomi Balogun for this generous contribution to the medical sector. This Centre would certainly contribute immensely to the training and research activities carried out by our academics. It is our hope that other Nigerians who have achieved greatness in their various fields would emulate him”.
Otunba Subomi Balogun is a well-known statesman, entrepreneur and philanthropist with several charitable projects and programmes for the people of his hometown of Ijebu-Ode, as well as many other parts of Nigeria. His philanthropy ranges from the provision of this world-class medical facility to education, capacity building, youth empowerment and other socio-economic initiatives, aimed at enhancing the development of humanity and society in general.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The sum of $250,000 in humanitarian funding is to be provided by Binance to support the frontline response to the ongoing Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
The cryptocurrency exchange said the funds would be used to enable rapid response in high-risk and underserved areas, where access to healthcare infrastructure, protective resources, and timely public health information remains limited.
The money will be shared equally between the Uganda Red Cross Society and Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), supporting urgent interventions in affected and high-risk communities.
Binance’s contribution will help strengthen emergency medical care and treatment, community awareness and prevention campaigns, contact tracing and containment support, and the provision of sanitation supplies and protective equipment for frontline workers.
By supporting both immediate response activities and preventative education, Binance aims to contribute to reducing transmission and strengthening community resilience.
“Communities across Africa continue to show extraordinary resilience in the face of complex challenges, but frontline responders should not have to face crises like this alone,” the co-chief executive of Binance, Mr Richard Teng, said.
“The teams working to contain the Ebola disease outbreak are delivering vital, life-saving support under incredibly difficult conditions.
“We are proud to support both the Uganda Red Cross Society and Doctors Without Borders as they work to protect vulnerable populations, strengthen local response efforts, and deliver urgent care where it is needed most,” he added.
Also commenting, the Secretary General for the Uganda Red Cross Society, Mr Robert Kwesiga, said, “Strong partnerships are essential during public health emergencies since we are not able to manage the outbreak alone.
“The support from Binance comes in so timely and handy, and will help us respond more rapidly, reach more at-risk communities, and reinforce the frontline services needed to help contain the outbreak and save lives.”
The MSF Emergency Programme Manager, Trish Newport, while speaking on the initiative, said, “The number of cases and deaths we are seeing in such a short timeframe, combined with the spread across several health zones and now across the border, is extremely concerning. In Ituri, many people already struggle to access healthcare and live with ongoing insecurity, making rapid action critical to prevent the outbreak from escalating further.”
Caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment, this Ebola disease outbreak has placed acute pressure on already fragile health systems in eastern DRC and the wider region.
Local authorities, international agencies, and humanitarian organisations are racing to contain it and protect affected communities.
Binance’s support is intended to reinforce these efforts at a critical moment. It reflects the company’s broader commitment to supporting communities across Africa through programmes focused on education, financial inclusion, digital skills development, and community empowerment.
In this case, Binance is extending that commitment to urgent humanitarian and public health needs by working alongside trusted organisations with deep frontline expertise.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and ordered the immediate release of N10 billion as emergency intervention funding.
According to a disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the fund will strengthen the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical national public health emergency response activities.
The team will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, with membership drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and state representatives.
The presidency noted that the approval followed a stakeholder meeting convened under the chairmanship of the Chief of Staff to review Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies against the possible importation of Ebola into the country.
Ebola has recently resurfaced in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, both neighbouring countries.
Other key stakeholders at the meeting included representatives of the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Lagos State Government and others.
Mr Onanuga also disclosed that President Tinubu directed all states hosting international airports and international border corridors, as well as relevant MDAs, to submit their plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for consideration and coordinated implementation.
Additional measures to be implemented by the Task Force include the intensification of passenger screening at all international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols; enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk airline routes, including Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines; and the immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at the Lagos and Abuja international airports, with other airports to follow.
Other measures include the mandatory activation of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as the disinfection of departure halls, cargoes, baggage areas and airport facilities as precautionary environmental measures.
The President also directed the advisory group to consult with security, diplomatic and aviation bodies on regulating flights from affected and designated high-risk countries.
The Task Force was further mandated to designate specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to enable controlled screening and isolation procedures, and to consider adjusting flight schedules to minimise interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Over 500 residents of Ajegunle in Lagos enjoyed free healthcare services, comprehensive health education, youth mentorship, and community engagement activities at a one-day event organised by Queens Palm Support Initiative (QPSI).
This is part of the organisation’s Reach 1000 Initiative, deliberately designed to address immediate healthcare needs and empower individuals with the knowledge, resources, and support required to live healthier, more productive, and dignified lives.
QPSI is a non-profit organisation established by Ms Sabrina Ozma dedicated to advancing community development, healthcare advocacy, youth empowerment, leadership education, and social impact interventions across Nigeria. Fou
At the Ajegunle programme held at Bola Ige Millennium School, Tolu Complex, participants received a comprehensive range of healthcare services facilitated by accredited medical professionals, including general medical consultations and health assessments, malaria screening, diagnosis and treatment, blood sugar testing and diabetes awareness, comprehensive eye examinations and vision assessments, as well as specialist neurosurgical consultations provided by medical experts from Dukes Neurosurgery and Specialist Hospital.
Also, Reals Pharmaceutical Limited provided and distributed antimalarial medications to beneficiaries, ensuring continuity of treatment and improved health outcomes beyond the day of the outreach.
Ms Ozma, while speaking at the event, said access to quality healthcare remains one of the most pressing challenges confronting underserved communities across Nigeria.
According to her, interventions such as the Reach 1000 Initiative are deliberately designed to close this gap, not only by addressing immediate healthcare needs but by empowering individuals with the knowledge, resources, and support required to live healthier, more productive, and dignified lives.
Beyond healthcare delivery, the initiative featured structured health education and awareness sessions focused on disease prevention and early symptom recognition, personal hygiene and sanitation best practices, nutrition and food safety, healthy lifestyle habits, and the importance of routine medical check-ups.
In addition, a media personality and youth advocate, Ms Blessing Lopez, led engaging conversations around personal growth, confidence, and purpose-driven living, while entertainer Larry J inspired participants through discussions on resilience, positive decision-making, and the importance of becoming active contributors to societal progress.
The programme also attracted notable participation from government institutions and civil society organisations, highlighting the importance of multi-sector collaboration in addressing community challenges.
The Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, engaged participants on safeguarding, protection against domestic and sexual violence, and the importance of building safer communities.
Further, representatives of the Cleen Foundation facilitated discussions on crime prevention, community security, and the role of young people in promoting civic responsibility and the rule of law, while the Crime Prevention Partnership (CPP) led discussions on community-led safety strategies and citizen participation in fostering safer neighbourhoods.
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