Seyi Tinubu, through his maternal and child health intervention scheme, has donated a drug bank for the indigent patients at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

Benson Ayodele-Cole, national coordinator of the scheme, made this known during the official commissioning of the programme on Friday in Lagos.

The scheme also featured a N1,000,000 scholarship grant to the best paediatric resident doctor.

Mr Ayodele-Cole, who represented Mr Tinubu at the event, said the project, which was initiated out of the love for maternal and child healthcare, aims to relieve the indigent patients who could not pay for the drugs they needed for treatment.

He said that the major objective was to reduce the maternal mortality rate, saying that a lot of mothers and children have lost their lives during delivery due to lack of access to the needed treatment.

He decried that the infant mortality in Nigeria, as of last year, stood at 54.74 deaths per 1000 live births, while the Nigeria maternal mortality rate for 2020 was 1,047 per 100,000 live births.

According to him, Nigeria’s maternal mortality is about the 4th highest in the world, and according to the World Health Organisation, “nearly 20 per cent of all global maternal deaths happen in Nigeria.”

Mr Ayodele-Cole explained that the scheme, which would be a revolving programme, targets 10,000 indigent patients who would benefit from free drugs and delivery supplies per month.

He added that the scheme would be established in a total of 60 tertiary hospitals in North and South Nigeria in the first Phase.

“The goal of Seyi Tinubu in this maternity and child health intervention scheme is to attain and possibly surpass SDG Goal 3 in Nigeria on maternal and infant mortality, which targets to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by the year 2030.

“To this end, the scheme has taken the challenge headlong to support indigent patients who may not be able to afford hospital bills with this revolving scheme for free drugs and free materials for safe delivery.

“In the scheme, 10,000 indigent patients shall benefit from free drugs and delivery supplies per month and this scheme would be established in a total of 60 tertiary hospitals in North and South Nigeria in the first phase.

“Similarly, there is a N1,000,000 scholarship grant for resident doctors who are in the final year of their paediatrics residency programme.

“Gabriel Oyeleke, a senior registrar in paediatrics who has distinguished himself on the line of duty in caring for children in this hospital, is today awarded a N1,000,000 scholarship in cash,” he said.

Mr Ayodele-Cole said that after the first phase, the programme would be cascaded down to the secondary and primary care levels in general hospitals and primary healthcare centres (PHCs).

He, therefore, urged the hospital to make good use of the donated drugs and materials by setting up an effective mechanism for its proper management.

He said: “Besides the drug bank intervention scheme for indigent patients, we are currently working out modalities to add donation of point of care ultrasound equipment to the labour wards and antenatal clinics in our beneficiary hospitals.

“This would be backed up with adequate end-user training to ensure optimal and efficient utilisation of each piece of equipment in the hospitals when we have them delivered.”

On his part, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Wasiu Adeyemo, lauded the initiative, describing it as “helpful.”

In his acceptance speech, Mr Adeyemo said the initiative would serve as a big financial relief for countless indigent individuals who were financially limited to access prescribed drugs and medical treatments.

He assured the readiness of the hospital to ensure effective distribution, utilisation and management of the drug bank.

“We are going to make good use of everything donated, and it will strictly be for the indigent patients.

“There are already established modalities and criteria for dispensation of the drugs and materials,” he said.

The head of pharmacy department, LUTH, Waheed Adeoye, expressed gratitude to the donor of the drug bank, describing the donation as a “notable intervention.”

Mr Adeoye assured that the pharmacy department had the skill and competency to effectively manage the drugs.

“We all know the role drugs play in the health system.

“This time, when we have extreme poverty in the country and many homes are finding it difficult to provide their needed medication.

“So, this intervention is very critical at this time,” he said.

(NAN)