FG takes over Ondo State University Teaching Hospital Akure

A New Chapter in Ondo's Healthcare Landscape: FG Assumes Control of Akure Teaching Hospital

In a move hailed by some as transformative and criticized by others as politically expedient, the Federal Government of Nigeria has officially taken over the Akure complex of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo State.

The facility has now been rebranded as the Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH), marking a significant shift in the region’s healthcare and educational infrastructure.

The handover ceremony, held in Akure, was attended by key stakeholders including the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Olayide Adelami, and Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.

The event culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the state and federal governments, formalizing the transfer of ownership and operational control.

According to federal authorities, the transition is part of a broader strategy to expand tertiary healthcare services and enhance medical education across Nigeria. The teaching hospital is now poised to serve as a hub for clinical training, research, and specialized medical care for students of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA).

President Bola Tinubu, through his representative at the event, emphasized that this initiative aligns with his administration’s commitment to revamping the nation’s health sector and fostering collaboration between federal and state institutions.

However, the development has not been without controversy. Bolaji Daramola, a politician from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Ondo, publicly criticized the handover, describing it as “a shame dressed as progress.” He argued that the decision undermines the autonomy of the state’s healthcare system and questioned the long-term implications for UNIMED, which now retains only two of its original three teaching hospital complexes.

Despite the dissenting voices, local traditional leaders such as the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, expressed gratitude to the federal government, viewing the establishment of FUTATH as a milestone that could elevate the city’s status in medical education and service delivery.

As the dust settles on this administrative shift, the true impact of the federal takeover will be measured not just in policy documents and political rhetoric, but in the quality of care delivered to patients and the caliber of professionals trained within its walls.

Whether FUTATH becomes a beacon of progress or a symbol of contested governance remains to be seen, but for now, Ondo State stands at the crossroads of healthcare transformation.