The Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) in Nnewi, Anambra State, has honoured Professor Ifeoma Egbuonu, a distinguished female Professor of Paediatrics, for her remarkable contributions to the development of paediatrics in Nigeria’s tertiary health sector.
The recognition was part of a recent event where new buildings were commissioned at the Permanent Site of the Teaching Hospital by the Honorable Minister of Health, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate. Among the newly commissioned buildings, the Children’s Emergency Complex was named after Professor Egbuonu, a testament to her dedication and impact.
According to Professor Joseph Ugboaja, the Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, the hospital’s management decided to honour Professor Egbuonu by dedicating the Children’s Emergency Complex in her name as “Prof Ifeoma Egbuonu Children’s Emergency Complex” in recognition of her exceptional services to the institution.
During the commissioning of the complex, the Minister of Health praised Professor Egbuonu’s unwavering commitment to paediatric care and education, not just at NAUTH but across the country.
Expressing her gratitude, Professor Egbuonu shared her overwhelming joy with the Nigerian Tribune, stating that she was deeply moved by the honour. She emphasized how fulfilling it is to know that her contributions to improving children’s health through paediatric practice and teaching have been acknowledged.
Professor Egbuonu’s illustrious career began at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), and she later worked at other health institutions under the Anambra State Ministry of Health.
She joined Nnamdi Azikiwe University/Teaching Hospital in 1993 and became a Professor of Paediatrics in 2005. Throughout her career, she has played a pivotal role in training both undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and has served as an examiner for several medical schools, including the National Postgraduate College and the West African College of Physicians.
A past President of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria, Professor Egbuonu also made history as the first female President of the West African College of Physicians.
She is a foundation Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Medicine and has served as a consultant for UNICEF in Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia, as well as for the World Health Organization (WHO) and various Ministries of Health at the federal, state, and local levels.
Her contributions to the health sector have been recognized with numerous awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 3rd edition of the Anambra Man of the Year Award in December 2023. Around the same time, she was also honoured with the chieftaincy title of Ada Ife Ora of Oraifite by Igwe Dr Dan Udoji (Anumanu VIII of Oraifite).
Additionally, Professor Egbuonu has been celebrated as a Mother of Honour at All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha, and received a Gold Medal Award in Ghana from the West African College of Physicians, presented by the President of Ghana, among other prestigious accolades.
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