Vice Chancellor of Babcock University Ilishan, Remo Prof Ademola Tayo has said the institution is committed to reversing medical tourism to India and other countries.
This is as he urged the government to check multiple taxation and allow for flexibility in running educational institutions to promote innovation.
Speaking at a briefing on Tuesday to commemorate the institution’s 20th anniversary as a private university, and 60th as a higher institution of theological studies, Tayo said Babcock had recorded over 95 per cent success in open heart surgeries and orthorpaedic treatment.
“Babcock University is determined to contribute to seek ways to stem medical tourism.
“We have done over 300 successful open heart surgeries since 2015 when the Tri-state Heart Centre started. We have a 95 per cent success rate. In orthorpeadics, we are doing total knee replacement surgery and spine surgery,” he said.
Apart from medicine, Tayo said Babcock was impacting the Nigerian society in many other ways, including through promoting food security, research, and others.
He however lamented the multiple taxes the University has to pay to government, calling for a change given the institution’s role in providing education, which is a social service.
Tayo also called for relaxation of rules guiding the operations of Tertiary institutions, saying it would allow for creativity and innovation in the academia.
He said: “Too many stringent rules do not bring about innovation. America is very great today because they allow innovation. But here it is stifled. Let the government be flexible so we can do this just like we see happen in developed world.”
Activities to celebrate the institution’s anniversary, which has as theme: “The Journey of Grace”; include spiritual beginning on September 14, a programme to thank God; medical outreach for host communities (September 15); special lecture and speech (September 17); Almost Day (September 19), among others