3rd May, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Philip Ugbodaga, as the substantive Medical Director the newly established National Orthopaedic Hospital in Benin City (NOHB), the Edo State.
Consequently, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, has presented a letter of appointment to Ugbodaga at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja.
It would be recalled that the Maxillofacial Surgeon was last year appointed as the Acting Medical Director of the Hospital by the immediate past Minister of State for Health, Hon Joseph Ekumankama, and was subsequently confirmed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Formal issuance of a letter of appointment to him was, however, delayed due to some administrative and bureaucratic issues.
But, few days ago, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, finally presented the letter of appointment on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Ugbodaga for an initial term of four years with effect from 1st August, 2023.
Alausa charged him to work hard to ensure that the Hospital provides quality healthcare services, in line with Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
The Minister reminded Ugbodaga of the enormous responsibilities of the office and the expectations of the government and people of the south-south geopolitical zone from him.
He urged him to justify the confidence reposed in him by the President, by working with all stakeholders for optimal quality service delivery in support of the Federal Ministry of Health’s 4-point agenda, which has the improvement of governance at the core of Mr. President’s renewed hope agenda of revamping the health sector towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
In his acceptance speech, Ugbodaga promised to deliver a strategic plan for the development of the Hospital within a reasonable time to the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare for his approval in line with the National Strategic Health Development Plan to make certain that effective, efficient and patient-centred care are delivered to Nigerians.
He is a life member of the West African College of Surgeons as well as a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons and had held several administrative positions in the past.
Ugbodaga, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Edo State, also served as Medical Director, Central Hospital, Benin City; Special Assistant on Administration, Social Development, and International Cooperation to the immediate past Minister of State for Budget and National Planning.