Pioneer vice-chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Emeritus Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe has urged the federal government to make a special funding arrangement, similar to the Education Trust Fund, ETF, for the country’s health sector.

Akinkugbe, who made this submission at the 30th year reunion and public lecture organised by the 1978-1984 graduating class of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, held at the weekend.

The retired Professor of Medicine stated that such provision would ensure sustainable assistance to the underprivileged citizens who are unable to fulfil their obligations in public health institutions.

According to him, “There are a number of “expensive” illnesses whose management is beyond the reach of most patients. The challenge of non-communicable diseases, especially hypertension, ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus which has become prevalent, requires a wise country to adopt a strategy that would lower the rate of their prevalence and increase the life span of the average citizen.”

Akinkugbe in his paper entitled ‘Nigeria’s Tertiary Health Care – Still Too Many Loose Ends to Tie,’ lamented the disappearance of the team spirit which had hitherto existed among health providers in the 1960s and 1980s.

In his address, the vice chancellor of the university, Prof AbdulGaniyu Ambali observed that the two guest speakers, Emeritus Prof. Akinkugbe and Emeritus Prof. Adeniyi were two academics that envisioned what others could not see many years ago.