Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, French Ambassador, Emmanuelle Blatmann Launch €55m Project in Public Health

A decisve step was taken Thursday towards the launch of the “Oyo Healthcare New Initiative”, as Governor of the state Seyi Makinde, and Mr. Olivier Picard, CEO of Ellipse Project, signed a major Commercial Contract in presence of H.E. Emmanuelle Blatmann, Ambassador of France to Nigeria.

This “Oyo Healthcare New Initiative Project” is key to the significant upgrade of the healthcare system in the 

whole of Oyo State, setting new standards in capacity, efficiency, and quality. It will be financed with a concessional loan from France to Nigeria, through the French Treasury, of 55 millon euros (N27.2 billion) over 40 years.

According to the words of the French Ambassador, “France is deeply commtted to supporting initatves in 

favour of quality publc services in Nigeria, such as that of Governor Maknde, which will directly beneft the people of this State and set new standards in terms of public healthcare.” 

She added: “This is a great example of mutualy beneficial French-Nigerian cooperaton. We are definitey looking forward to the launch of this project–a partnership between the Oyo State Government and a French private company whose savoir faireis renowned throughout the world, with financing from the French Government, at very preferential conditions.”

In detail, the project wil provide particularlyfor the renovation, modernization, and extension of several State Hospitals in all the zones of the state with maternal and child health centres as part of Oyo state’s maternal 

and chld health (Tomotiya) initiative, as wel as emergency medcine and trauma management systems.

Ring Road State Hospital in Ibadan will be the fagshp centre.The project will provide equipment for 200 Prmary Healthcare Centres and 10 Dental Centres throughout Oyo State. The Oyo State Government has recently embarked on the upgrade and construction of new Primary Heathcare Centres, one per ward in the 

state. Over 200 of the 351 Primary Healthcare Centres have been completed.

The project provides for the supply of the highest qualty technologies and equipment. It includes a large training component for local teams and technology transfer. 

Particular attention wll be paid to environmental issues, incompliance with the most demanding international standards. The French Republic will make it possible for the Ministry of Health of Oyo State to benefit from direct technical expertise through an International Technical Expert whose arrival to Ibadan is planned for the first semester/quarter 2023, and whose duties include supporting the implementation of the project over its entire duration.