FG hails Nigerian doctor in USA for a successful surgical feat on an unborn baby in the mother's womb

Abuja, Oct. 31, 2016: The Federal Government of Nigeria has congratulated a US- based Nigerian Surgeon, Dr Oluyinka Olutoye on his recent feat in carrying out a successful operation on an unborn baby with tumour in her mother's womb.

2. Dr Oluyinka Olutoye and his surgeon partner Dr. Darrell Cass of Texas Children's Hospital, carried out an operation on a foetus at 23 weeks in US.

3. The baby, Lynlee Hope, who suffered from a tumour known as Sacrococcygeal Teratoma was removed from her mother's womb, operated on and returned back. She healed and continued to grow until she was born again at 36 weeks.

4. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated this in a statement to felicitate with Dr Olutoye on behalf of the President and people of Nigeria.

5. The statement stated that President Muhammadu Buhari received the news of Dr Olutoye's  unique feat with excitement and fulfillment and looking forward to meeting with him soonest.

6. The Senior Special Assistant to the  President said that it is important to celebrate Dr Olutoye for the wonderful feat he performed in saving lives and projecting a good image for Nigeria.

7. Dabiri-Erewa therefore commended Nigerians in the Diaspora for their positive roles in enhancing the image of the country.

8. She said Nigerians in the Diaspora are a huge potential, playing greater role in all sectors, assuring that her office was working on having a database for all the Nigeria achievers.

9.  ``Nigerians are great people, making greater positive impacts in all fields of human endeavour in the Diaspora. Dr Olutoye's feat is one of such testimonies", the statement added.

10. To complement that, Dabiri-Erewa said that Nigeria is working on a National Diaspora Policy guideline geared towards regulating all engagements with all Nigerians in the Diaspora.

11. According to her, Nigerians in the Diaspora are of high importance to the growth and development of the country.

12. She appealed to other Nigerians in the Diaspora to emulate the positive image Dr Oluyinka Olutoye has given to Nigeria which earned him recognition.

13. Dabiri-Erewa reiterated the determination of President Muhammadu Buhari " to enhance the welfare of all Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, and unadulterated determination to continue to tackle insecurity, corruption and the economy."

 14.  Dr. Olutoye is Co-Director of the Texas Children's Fetal Center and fetal surgery team member, as well as a general pediatric surgeon in USA.

15. Olutoye received his medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1988 and his PhD in anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, in 1996.

16.  He completed his residency in general surgery at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals, Virginia Commonwealth University, and his fellowship in pediatric surgery at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa.

 17.  Dr. Olutoye is a member of the International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society and is a Fellow of the Surgical Section of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Surgeons; he is also a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons.

18. Dr. Olutoye has specialized clinical expertise in fetal and neonatal surgery, with specific interest in congenital diaphragmatic hernia and complex wounds.

19. His research interests include understanding the role of the fetal inflammatory response in scarless fetal wound healing, development of animal models of congenital anomalies, in utero correction of severe congenital malformations, and the study of endothelial-leukocyte and endothelial-tumor cell interactions with a goal to better understand the mechanisms of tumor metastasis.

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora