In a bid to strengthen child healthcare delivery in Oyo State, the Karim Adeyemi Foundation (KAF) on Tuesday inaugurated a newly built Emergency Children’s Ward at Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital in Yemetu, Ibadan.
Speaking during the inauguration, the President of the foundation, Mogaji Abiodun Adeyemi, said the project was conceived to give back to society and improve emergency medical care for children.
He disclosed that the project marked the foundation’s first major footprint in the healthcare sector since it began operations in Ibadan in 2023.
He also added that the idea for the ward was initiated by Ibrahim Lawal, who approached the foundation on the urgent need for an emergency children’s ward at the hospital.
“Once the idea was born, we didn’t just jump into it. We went through months of consultations with the hospital management to ensure we were not just building walls, but building exactly what the doctors and nurses needed. And once we got the green light from the board, we moved at lightning speed,” he said.
Adeyemi appreciated his son, Karim Adeyemi, for supporting the humanitarian vision of the foundation, while also commending his wife, Alexandra Adunni Adeyemi, for her commitment to the foundation’s interventions in Ibadan.
According to him, “Without my son and my wife, there simply would be neither Karim Adeyemi Foundation nor this emergency ward today.”
He also lauded the project manager, Bunmi Lawal, builders and members of the foundation for working tirelessly to ensure the completion of the facility.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Medical Director of Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Dr. Olanrewaju Adeniji, described the project as “an investment in humanity,” noting that the facility would help save the lives of many children.
“This building is a game changer. There are some children that will be saved because of this facility. It is our expectation that the structure will be properly maintained and that it becomes a centre of clinical excellence and quality healthcare service delivery,” he said.
Adeniji also appealed to other non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to support public hospitals across the state.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Oyo State Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Akin Fagbemi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mrs. Anifat Ibrahim, said the intervention would significantly improve child healthcare services at the hospital.
She said the donation was timely, noting that hundreds of children are admitted monthly at the facility for illnesses ranging from malaria and pneumonia to severe malnutrition and other life-threatening conditions.
“You may not know that by choosing to build and equip this ward, you have invested directly in the lives of our children, who are among the most vulnerable people we serve,” she said.
According to her, a clean and child-friendly healthcare environment would help reduce infections, improve recovery rates and boost the morale of caregivers and patients alike.
“This ward is more than just beds and modern equipment. It is a bold statement that our children deserve quality healthcare and visible hope for every mother that walks through these corridors,” she added.
The permanent secretary stressed that government alone could not meet the healthcare needs of the people, calling on more well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to collaborate with the state in transforming the health sector.
“The Karim Adeyemi Foundation has shown us a model of purposeful giving. The government cannot do it alone. We need partnerships and collaborations like this to move faster and improve healthcare delivery,” she said.
She further assured that the Hospital Management Board would ensure proper staffing, oversight and maintenance of the facility to sustain its impact.
Representing the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, at the event, Chief Dr. Obitade Obimakinde commended the Karim Adeyemi Foundation for investing in the health and future of children in Ibadanland.
He described the intervention as a noble contribution to humanity and urged affluent individuals and groups to emulate the foundation by supporting developmental projects that directly impact the lives of the people.
