Adebutu urges wealthy Nigerians to support health care

Adebutu urges wealthy Nigerians to support health care
October 24, 2015 : Leave a Comment

A businessman and philanthropist, Sir Kesington Adebutu, has called on well-meaning Nigerians to complement government’s efforts at all levels to ensure the development of the health sector.
He made the call on the sidelines of his 2015 annual medical outreach organised by the Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation as part of activities marking his 80th birthday ceremony in Iperu, Ogun State.
The businessman, popularly known as ‘Baba Ijebu,’ noted that even in developed economies, governments most times do not have the means to cater for all the needs of their citizens.

To this effect, he stated that the rich should support the government by way of giving back to the society.
He said, “I am not giving free medical attention only to people in this area, we do this wherever there is need for it.
“I believe that a soul that is healthy and educated can never be hungry, except he is a lazy man. This is why I focus attention on medicine and education.
“No government can provide all the needs of the people. Even the big America cannot do it. Therefore, patriotic and rich citizens should complement the efforts of government.”
Adebutu, however, noted that health and education remained the vital tools of development in any society.
He explained that the medical outreach, which started last year, had gulped hundreds of millions of naira, and would end on Saturday.
He added that the medical programme would be organised on a monthly basis, starting from January, 2016.
The philanthropist told journalists that the outreach would focus on eye test for children, cervical screening for women as well as general health examination and treatment.
Adebutu noted that the outreach tagged, “Building a healthy generation for the future of our country, Nigeria,” was aimed at boosting the health status of Nigerians in order to be able to face the challenges of national development.
The facilitator of the outreach and daughter of the host, Dr. (Mrs.) Abiola Olufunke Olorode, said there were four sets of consultants to attend to the beneficiaries.
These, according to her, include consultant paediatricians who would check babies, consultant ophthalmologists for the eyes, consultant physicians for adults and consultant obstetricians who would examine cases of cervical cancers among women.
She added that they would be referred to general and teaching hospitals if need be, adding that offsetting their bills would also be considered.
Olorode added that about 10 medical doctors and 10 nurses would attend to an average of 200 beneficiaries on a daily basis.
The Chief Medical Director, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Alfred Jaiyesimi, in his keynote address, identified health, good social system, urbanisation, housing, management of water and sanitation as well as education as part of the core needs of a balanced society.