The Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) will tomorrow Thursday, August 12, 2021, honour former President Goodluck Jonathan, former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, organisations and some distinguished Nigerians across age as well as political and social divides for their immense contributions to the development of Nigeria’s health sector.
Also to be honoured are Ekiti State Governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), Chief Kessington Adebutu, MD/CEO DESOPADEC, Hon. Bashorun Askia Ogieh, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, who was President Jonathan’s Health Minister and Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye, MD/CEO, JUHEL Pharmaceuticals Ltd, among others.
The association in a statement by its National President, Dr. Iyke Odo, said Mimiko will be honoured for his intervention programmes towards reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality in Ondo state (Abiye and Agbebiye programmes), for initiating the Ondo State Emergency Medical Services (ODEMSA) and the establishment of the first university of medical sciences in Nigeria during his time as governor of Ondo state between 2009 and 2017.
Mimiko’s health initiatives in Ondo State won laurels and global commendations as a model for Africa.
In 2011, the World Bank commended and recommended the adoption of the Abiye Safe Motherhood programme of the Mimiko administration as a model for achieving the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG 5) on maternal health within the African continent.
In 2013, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded Ondo the best performing state in immunization in the Southwest and Nigeria after the State achieved about 100 percent in measles vaccination across the state in 2012. An award it received for two consecutive years
Odo said the event, which will take place at the Africa Hall of the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, promises to unveil an array of Nigerians who have etched their names in gold through their worthy interventions in the health sector.
The main focus of the centenary event, is to be part of the solution to Nigeria’s myriad of problems in healthcare delivery; close observers of the health sector in Nigeria will readily attest to the fact that healthcare delivery is in dire stress. From the poor healthcare infrastructure to inadequate or total lack of critical equipment; the uninspiring conditions of work of the medical practitioners and other health workers, Nigeria’s health sector continues to gasp for breathe.
Odo explained that as a way of giving back to the society, part of the event on that day will be the official launch of a private healthcare intervention fund to support two cardinal national projects for Nigeria one of which is the ‘SAVE ONE MILLION NIGERIAN MOTHERS INITIATIVE’ otherwise known as the “(Mobile Health Solution)”.
Also to be awarded are former First Lady, Mrs Maryam Abacha, who founded what is now referred to as the National Hospital Abuja, through her pet project, the Family Support Programme Initiative; Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, Founder, BUA Foundation; Sir Emeka Offor, Founder, SEO Foundation known for their very huge financial investment in the national fight against POLIO, and Sir Dr. Daniel Chukwudozie, Philanthropist and another huge interventionist in the healthcare sector in his native Anambra State.
Other prominent awardees, in the political, corporate business and Non-Governmental organization communities, who have been listed for the great impact they have made overtime in the health sector include, Save The Children International, Nigeria; International Committee of the Red Cross; Society for Family Health and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).
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