According to a news report from This Day, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Professor Yussuf Abdullah Dasliva, has called on wealthy individuals in the country to continue supporting government efforts at all levels to improve healthcare delivery for the populace. Dasliva noted that such support would also reduce medical tourism overseas.

Speaking in Ilorin during the official commissioning of the multi-billion naira Batuli Ajiferuke Shagaya Burn Intensive Care Unit (BAS-BICU) building at UITH, Professor Yussuf stated that this support would boost the quality of healthcare delivery in the country.

The facility was donated by Alhaji Sheriff Shagaya, the son of the philanthropist Alhaja Muina Shagaya.

He said that, “Let me reiterate that we should endeavour to delineate donations from Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP).

“Donations are usually made to support various government activities/functions in order to improve/expand services to the citizenry/humanity without any anticipatory accruals (personal/groups). “Whereas, PPP are aimed at accruals to parties involved, and are usually not done by fiats but through laid down rules/due processes.

“Thus, once donations are made to Government/Government establishments, such donations automatically become the responsibilities of government/its establishments to manage, in accordance with the intended purposes, without any individual/group of individuals wanting to take control of such donations or sharing the accruals; nor constituting any Board of Trustee (BOT) for government properties. Such acts are absolutely illegal and should not be contemplated”.

The CMD appreciated the donor, saying that the project would ensure provision of quality health care and attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to the populace.

The CMD, who solicited more donations (in whatever forms) to UITH, llorin, added that such donations would enable the hospital (with its abundant expertise) to continually improve and expand its quality healthcare provisions; and further contribute to reducing the tides of the increasing medical tourism overseas.

Earlier, the donor, Alhaji Shagaya said that, though, healthcare is a basic human right, but it is far from being equally accessible to all.

Alhaji Shagaya, thus, called on Nigerians to bridge gap in health care provisions and provide quality healthcare to those who need it most, since governments cannot shoulder the responsibility alone.

“This project is not just a token of our love for philanthropy, but a reflection of our recognition that we all have a part to play in strengthening our society.

“Healthcare is a basic human right, yet it is far from being equally accessible to all. The onus is on us, as responsible citizens, to bridge this gap and provide quality healthcare to those who need it most.

“While our government is doing its best, they cannot shoulder this responsibility alone. It is our duty as fellow human beings to lend a helping hand”, he said.

The donor, who said that he lost his grandmother, Batuli Ajiferuke Shagaya, to burns, added that the death inspired him to spearhead the project.

“The pain of losing my grandmother, a loss I still carry with me to this day, is inseparable from the hope that we can save others from a similar fate.

“It is a project that would have filled my grandmother with pride had she been here today.

“The Batuli Ajiferuke Shagaya Burn Intensive Care Unit (BAS-BICU) building in UITH, Ilorin marks a significant milestone in the healthcare sector, particularly in the management of acute burns.

“The new intensive care unit aimed to meet the objective of limiting the systemic insult that accompanies burn injuries, it also aimed at providing a higher level of specialized care to patients suffering from burns.

“It will also play a crucial role in preventing infections related to invasive procedures and improving the overall care and treatment of burn patients.

“The BAS-BICU will serve as a beacon of hope for those who have been afflicted with severe burns, offering a higher level of care that will not only improve treatment outcomes but also help prevent devastating infections and improve the overall quality of life for those who require such specialized care”, he said.

Shagaya said that, “the over N250million Burn Center is unmatched in the North Central region, adding that, the state-of-the-art facilities therein, “are to serve the needs of our community, to save lives, and to promote healing and recovery.

The equipment you see before you will serve as tools in the hands of skilled professionals, transforming the treatment of burn patients in our country”.