The Minister of State for Health, Hon Ekumanama Joseph has congratulated a former Medical Director, Central Hospital, Benin City, Dr. Philip Ibukun Ugbodaga on his appointment as the Acting Medical Director of the newly established National Orthopedic Hospital in Edo State.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the siting of Orthopedic Hospitals in three regions of the country with the North East having one, the North Central having one and the South South having one in Benin, Jos and Jalingo respectively.
The Minister of State for Health who approved the appointment, said that Dr Ugbodaga would hold the position pending the appointment of a substantive Medical Director or his confirmation as the Medical Director for the Hospital by Mr President.
While urging him to work collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders to ensure effective take off and delivery of quality healthcare services to the populace, the Minister noted that the appointment is with immediate effect
According to him, the Chief Medical Director, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State will be directed to release some support staff members to him when the need arises to ensure smooth take off and commencement of healthcare services in the Hospital.Until this appointment, Ugbodaga who is the Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, was appointed in 2019.
Ugbodaga who hails from Akoko- Edo Local Government Area of Edo State is a maxillofacial traumatologist and a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons as well as a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons.
As a practitioner, he worked in different establishments from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) where he did his residency training to qualify as a consultant oral and maximum surgeon.
He is a former Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Edo State branch and had previously served as the Medical Director Central Hospital, Benin City.
He once served as the President of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and then 1st Vice President of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD).
A renowned Civil Society activist, Dr Philip Ugbodaga once served as the National Chairman of the Coalition to Save Nigeria (CSN), a coalition of human rights and masses-based organizations.
He has been involved with several community-based organizations to provide free medical services to indigent patients through his NGO, Health Support Initiative (HSI).
He has authored many research papers and published articles focusing on issues as wide ranging as medicine, national socio-political development and international politics.
At his leisure, he engages in writing and reading and has several awards to his credit including the prestigious TIMENEWS Award for developmental achievement in medicine in Nigeria and Africa and the 2017 Medical Director of the year award bestowed on him by the Grassroots Newspapers Association of Nigeria.
He is member of several organizations including Amnesty International, Board Member of Policy and Law Reform Centre, Nigeria etc.
A widely-travelled man, Dr. Philip Ugbodaga is happily married with three children.
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