Date: 2022-01-04

As part of the official efforts to kick-off medical activities at the newly established Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Budo Egba, Kwara State, facilitated by the Senator representing Kwara Central, Dr Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, the Federal Government of Nigeria has, through the Federal Ministry of Health, approved the appointment of Professor Baba Issa Awoye as the Acting Chief Medical Director of the establishment.

The appointment of Baba Issa as the pioneer CMD of the institution in a letter dated 30th December 2021 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, M. Mamman, on behalf of the Minister of Health for State, Dr Olorunmbe Mamora took effect on the 1st of January 2022.

It reads, " I write to convey the approval of the Honourable Minister of Health for State for your secondment to oversee the affairs of the newly established Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Budo Egba, Kwara State, pending the appointment of a substantive Medical Director for the Hospital. Your appointment takes effect on the 1st January 2022."

The letter also confirmed that the Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital has been mandated to release along with the acting CMD, some medical officers, such as Consultant Psychiatrists, Psychiatrist Nurses, Pharmacist/Technicians, Medical Laboratory Scientists, Clinical Psychologists, Social Health Workers, Administrative Officers and Accountants to ensure smooth take-off and commencement of healthcare services in the Hospital.

Professor Baba Issa until his appointment was of the Department of Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin. He was born 52 years ago at Ogbondoroko Village in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State. He had his primary school at LSMB School, Ogbondoroko, Asa LGA, Kwara State, in 1981. He attended Government Secondary School, Afon, Asa LGA, Kwara State from 1981 to 1986, and obtained his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB; BS) from University of Ilorin, Kwara State, in 1994. He bagged Masters of Public Health, (MPH) and Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from the same institution in 2009 and 2021 respectively. He also badged a Certificate in Health Information Management, at the University of Ilorin in 2010 and a Certificate in Leadership and Management in Health, at the University of Washington in 2018. He is a Member of, Faculty of Psychiatry, West African College of Physicians (West African Postgraduate Medical College) MWACP October 2001, as well as a Fellow, Faculty of Psychiatry, West African College of Physicians (West African Postgraduate Medical College) FWACP April 2004. He became a Professor of Psychiatric in 2017 at the University of Ilorin.

He had authored several academic papers in both National and international publications and attended training in Nigeria and across several countries in the world.

He is a recipient of many honours, a member, and a fellow of several bodies who had held different leadership positions among which is Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kwara State Chapter which he was elected in since 2020.