In a bold move to improve the health sector and facilitate modern healthcare in Ondo State, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Thursday signed a memorandum of Understanding with a Germany based organisation, Medicus International to build a USD1.1Billion Sunshine medical City in the state.

The hospital is to be sighted in Akure on a 100 hectares of land already secured by the state government.

The Mou was signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde while the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Medicus International, Frank Spriewald signed on behalf of the company at the Ondo State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

Governor Akeredolu said he was more than convinced that Medicus International has good intention to develop the medical infrastructure in the state.

He said: “I am more than convinced that Medicus has good intention. And as I told them when they came, I said coincidentally, about a few weeks ago I was in Germany myself and I saw their structure. When I was in Berlin I was talking to another medical Organisation to bring their facility to Ondo State. I was negotiating with them not knowing that someone else is already waiting for this.

“No doubt, we are interested in this. We have made efforts. We are already working on how to secure a land very close to the airport. It is an interesting thing.

“We are prepared to cooperate and we know that this sort of thing is to be done with a joint venture. The interest of Ondo State is there. We are putting land. The joint venture itself will come up.”

Arakunrin Akeredolu also announced that the state government has set up a team led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye to midwife and work with the Medicus International.

Earlier, the facilitator for Medicus International, Chief Oludare Bello said the time for the execution of the project is thirty-six months and development will be completed in forty – eight months.

According to him, the hospital will deal with all facets of health care, adding that the nearness to the airport became imperative because the hospital will have its own helicopter that will transverse other parts of the state for medical purposes.

Chief Bello explained that there will be other facilities in the hospital with conference Center, Cinema, teaching hospital and nursing schools.

He said:” The hospital is a city on its own. The design is premised on the fact that there will be green in the whole hospital. That’s meant to make the patients see the ambience of the hospital when they lean over the window to have a view

“It will be one of its kind in Nigeria. Over 50% of the doctor are already trained in Germany. The doctors that will be employed here will be also trained in Germany.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Adeyeye said Medicus International is charged with the responsibility of looking for fund for the project, adding that the State government is only investing 100 hectares of land and with other routine approvals.

He said the MoU was coming after serial of engagement to have a memorandum signed between the state government and the Medicus International.

Credit: Nigerian Tribune