Osinbajo, Adeleke, Aregbesola Inaugurate N34bn UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital

Former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday, Inaugurated the N34 billion Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital at the Osun State University , Osogbo.

The hospital, built and donated to UNIOSUN by popular businesswoman, Mrs Folorunso Alakija, was handed over to the university.

Noting that the hospital would strengthen the bridge between theory and practical education, Osinbajo commended the timeliness of the hospital, particularly at a time when the country still sends many patients abroad for advanced care.

He added that the hospital is not a place where illness will just be treated but an institution where knowledge will be generated, skills will be honed, and standards raised.

Osinbajo said: “This institution stands before us as a monument to life, a sanctuary of healing and a forge for the next generation of African medical excellence. As we have heard from the Vice-Chancellor, it has been conceived not as a facility for contemporary health care and research alone, but as a hospital designed for the future of medicine in Africa.

“This is not a place where illnesses will just be treated. It is a place where knowledge will be generated and where skills will be honed and standards will be raised.

“As a medical research and training hospital, this institution occupies a rare and vital space. It is a home for learning, research and discovery. Here, students of medicine and allied health sciences will learn not only how to treat disease, but how to ask the right questions and how to conduct ethical research and how to translate scientific discovery into compassionate care.

“This hospital strengthens the bridge between theory and practice, education and service, research and real-world impact. In doing so, it positions Osun State and Nigeria more broadly as a serious contributor to medical knowledge production and not merely a consumer of medicine and medical services. In the wider West African context, this hospital represents promise and potential.”

The donor, who is the chancellor of the university, explained that the rationale behind the building of the hospital was to enable the university to have sources of generating funds rather than continually relying on the government.

According to Alakija, beyond the immediate institutional need, her family also realised the nation’s severe challenges, including brain drain, medical workforce shortage, dilapidated public health infrastructure, high disease burden, and poor health indicators.

“It was during subsequent family deliberations that we resolved to build and equip an ultra-modern Medical Research and Teaching Hospital for Osun State University for the benefit of mankind,” Alakija noted.

She called for more partners for the institution, adding that, “This hospital stands as a beacon of hope, a promise of healing, and a bold step toward transforming healthcare in Osun State, throughout Nigeria, and across Africa.

“However, to expand our vision, Osun State University will need partners who see beyond today. Partners who believe in saving lives. Partners who know that when you invest in health, you invest in the nation.”

Governor Ademola Adeleke, lauded the Alakija family for the donation, saying, “I was marvelled at what I saw here in terms of the magnitude of the facility and the top-notch medical and diagnostic equipment items being installed.

“This is great beyond description; huge beyond valuation. I must state boldly that Governments across the globe have been finding it extremely difficult to fund both education and health care effectively.”

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Clement Adeboye said the hospital has “250 admission beds, 20 Clinical Departments, 5 non-Clinical Departments, Community Health Unit, Maternity and Neonatal Medicare, Digital Research and Diagnostics Laboratories, 4 State-of-the-art operating theatres, cutting-edge diagnostic imaging inclusive of CT scan, MRI scanning facility, ultrasound scanning facility, X-ray, Kadiotherapy and modern digitised CATHLAB.

Other facilities in the hospital include, “Cardiac theatre and Ophthalmology suites, 2 units of modern Luminos dRF Max Fluoroscopy, 4 digitised delivery rooms, 36 Units of fully digitised Neonatal ICU and incubators, 9 units of modern digitised dialysis with specialised units for HIV+ and Hepatitis B+ patients, 16 ICUs, modern mortuary and restaurant.”