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