Ooni commissions diagnostic centre, urges government to create enabling environment
By Jeleel Olawale
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has commissioned a diagnostic centre in Lagos, charged government at all levels to create enabling environment for private investment in the medical sector, saying this will motivate investors and professionals in diaspora to come home to establish world class health facilities in Nigeria.
Ooni Ogunwusi, in a statement by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Otunba Moses Olafare, insisted that private driven economy remains the only solution to solve Nigeria’s economic challenges.
The Co-chairman, National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), while appreciating the multi-million naira facility which renders services such as Haematology, Genomics, Biomarker Analysis, Flow Cytometry, Laboratory Work, Sample Testing, Kit Testing, Crime Analysis, Project Research, Toxin Analysis, COVID Test, EQA Testing (Oil and Gas), and Equipment Validation, said the diagnostic center is another refinement, and game changer in the country’s health sector.
“I went there and checked every unit with state-of-the-art equipment for different level of testing, and I must say that it’s a very strong and dedicated home-grown diagnostic center. One thing that is unique about this diagnostics center is localising it and naming every section after a lot of role models around the Managing Director and owner,” Ooni said.
Describing the laboratory as another level in the health sector, Oba Ogunwusi noted that a lot of Nigerians left the country abroad for test, thinking that diagnostic centers in Nigeria are not reliable, adding that Omics Diagnostics Limited is a complete game changer driven by a private sector led Ogunleye.
“Day in day out, Nigerians go abroad for medical tests, thinking that diagnostic centers in Nigeria are not reliable. Different tiers of government in Nigeria from the local, state and federal level, stressing that they need to encourage a lot of private medical professionals by propagating and promoting medical tourism in the country,” Ooni said.
He described the setting up of the laboratory as a challenge to different tiers of government from the local, state and federal level, opining that they need to encourage a lot of private sectors driven investment to the sector by propagating and promoting medical tourism in the country, while encouraging private sector led promoters.
He prayed for prosperity for the owner of the laboratory, stating that it is just the start of its journey in Nigeria and indeed Africa, as Omics Diagnostics Limited would spring up in all states of Nigeria.
In her opening remark, Princess Adepeju Ogunleye, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Omics Diagnostics Limited, revealed that the company was built on the shoulder of many people, hence, her appreciating them by naming some rooms and units after individuals such as: Prince Peter Adetola Ogunleye (her father), Princess Janet Feyisara Ogunleye, Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Olamide Hameed Sanusi, Ige Oyinda, E. Oliver, Afetonke Olufemi, Emodi Azubike, Erelu Olajumoke Adebola Awodeyi among others.
Ogunleye, a Medical Laboratory Scientist, said health and humanitarian service are all about affordability, describing the uniqueness of the laboratory as the combination of all the world’s leading research and manufacturing companies such as: MGI, Thermo Fisher, and Illumina in a one stop.
She noted that the laboratory already has world standard equipment, and is partnering with leading countries in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), the study of Genomes, and would be able to do studies if there is an infection, while stating that it will also be doing researches on World Health Organization (WHO), alerts in a bid to inform the government to make informed policies ahead for the benefit of mankind.
Adepeju described the laboratory as a stopgap for government, and researchers who can’t afford to buy all equipment required for their researches, adding that Omics Diagnostics Limited was built on integrity with the aim of helping research work.
“We learnt a lot during COVID-19 and Ebola. Ebola gave us the signal, but the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown the world. The essence of this is that government can’t do it alone, so private sector have to come in to assist the government, and we shouldn’t wait until there is a pandemic.
“The essence of this laboratory is to ensure that we can help the researchers, studies can be done, plans can be made ahead of time. Just like COVID-19 was discovered in China and they were able to prepare ahead of the world, the African world needs to start planning ahead so that when we have cases like this, we are prepared, we are not caught unawares and we are not stranded.” She said.
In attendance were; Prof. Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Kayode Omiyale, Chairman Yaba Local Government Area, Prof. Babatunde Lawal Salako, Director General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) and the erudite Professor of Tax, Professor Biola Danni SAN among others.
