Dr. Christopher Otabor, an orthopaedic surgeon and Medical Director of Alliance Hospital, emphasized the importance of the Federal Government strengthening its collaboration with the private sector to enhance healthcare services and address the issue of out-of-school children in the country.
During a courtesy visit to Delu Yakubu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Abuja, Otabor highlighted the need for closer cooperation between the government and private entities.
He also mentioned the ongoing partnership between the office of the SSA to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and his hospital in efforts to support out-of-school children and provide accessible medical services to grassroots communities free of charge.
According to UNICEF statistics, Nigeria has a significant number of out-of-school children, with 10.2 million at the primary level and 8.1 million at the junior secondary level, representing one in three children in the country being out of school.
Otabor pledged to organize medical outreach programs in FCT communities with his team of doctors to support the underprivileged and offer scholarships to children in need.
He stressed the importance of expanding the collaboration between the Presidency and the private sector to ensure a brighter future for Nigerian children through improved access to education and healthcare services.
Highlighting the challenges faced by many schoolchildren and individuals unable to afford medical expenses, Otabor emphasized that through effective partnerships, there would be a rise in school enrollment rates and the delivery of high-quality healthcare services.
In response, Yakubu commended Otabor’s commitment to partnering with the Federal Government to address the issues of out-of-school children and support vulnerable populations in meeting their medical needs.