FG assumes control of Ondo UNIMED hospital
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the nation’s health system through increased collaboration with state governments.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, stated this in Akure, Ondo State, during the official transfer of the Akure complex of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) to the newly established Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH).
Professor Pate, who received the facility on behalf of the Federal Government, said the new federal teaching hospital would enhance training, research, and healthcare service delivery in Ondo State and across Nigeria.
He commended the Ondo State Government for its cooperation, as well as prominent Nigerians, including Afenifere leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti and the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade, for their contributions to the project.
“I want to thank the governor and his team for the amazing collaboration that has brought us to this point. President Bola Tinubu is committed to transforming the health and social landscape of this country with focus, boldness, and determination,” Pate said.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by his deputy, Dr. Olayide Adelami, said the move would strengthen medical education, research, and healthcare delivery in the country.
“By handing over this asset to the Federal Government, we are unlocking a stream of superior funding, advanced equipment procurement, specialised personnel recruitment, and inclusion in national and international research networks,” the governor said.
He expressed optimism that the institution, under federal management, would evolve into a globally recognised centre of medical excellence.
In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of FUTATH, Professor Olusegun Ojo, said the facility would focus on advanced diagnostics and specialist care, reducing the need for medical travel and easing financial and emotional burdens on patients and their families.
According to him, “the development will also reduce morbidity and mortality associated with delayed access to specialist healthcare that medical tourism entails.”
