Eyitayo Lambo was appointed the

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

n Federal Minister of Health in July 2003, holding office until May 2007 during the second term of the presidency of

Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo, , ( ; yo, Olúṣẹ́gun Ọbásanjọ́ ; born 5 March 1937) is a Nigerian political and military leader who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its presid ...

Background

Lambo was born on 28 December 1944 in Isanlu, the headquarters of Yagba East local government area in

Kogi State Kogi State is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the west by the states of Ekiti and Kwara, to the north by the Federal Capital Territory, to the northeast by Nasarawa State, to the northwest by Niger State, to t ...

. He attended the

University of Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 19 ...

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of ...

(USA) and

University of Lancaster , mottoeng = Truth lies open to all , established = , endowment = £13.9 million , budget = £317.9 million , type = Public , city = Bailrigg, City of Lancaster , country = England , coor = , campus = Bailrigg , faculty = ...

(UK). He earned B.Sc. and M.A. degrees in economics and a Ph.D. degree in operational research applied to health systems. Professor Lambo taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the Universities of Ibadan, Ilorin and Bendel State, 1974 to 1992. He was elected a Fellow for Operational Research (England), one of the first Africans so honored by that international professional organization in 1986. He was a consultant lecturer to the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank and the African Development Bank. He was also external examiner to several Universities, including the City University of London. Lambo was the Regional Adviser for health sector reforms, health care financing and health in socioeconomic development in the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level o ...

's regional office for Africa from 1990 to 1999. He was the first economist to be employed by the WHO’s Regional Office for Africa. He introduced health economics into the work of the WHO in Africa and built/strengthened capacity in health economics in the WHO Regional Office for Africa as well as in WHO country offices in Africa before taking an early and voluntary retirement from the United Nations System in 1999. At the Regional Committee of the Ministers of Health of the African Region held in Windhoek, Namibia in 1999, he received the award of the “most hardworking staff’’ in the WHO Regional Office for Africa. He was Director of the Change Agent (for Health Sector Reform) Program in Nigeria (a sister program to PATHS I) funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), UK with the Federal Government of Nigeria from October 2001 to July 2003. Professor Lambo has published over sixty papers, articles and books in the areas of quantitative economics, modeling, operations research applied to health, strategic management, and health economics.

Minister of Health

In July 2003, Lambo was appointed Minister of Health of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, holding office until May 2007, making him the only economist appointed as Minister of Health in Nigeria to date and the second longest serving Minister of Health in Nigeria to date. During his tenure as Minister of Health, the first Health Sector Reform Program for Nigeria was developed and implemented; the National Health Insurance Scheme was launched after being on the drawing board for forty years. Many health policies and legislations were formulated during his tenure, including the hotly debated National Health Bill. He was one of the few politically neutral technocrats to serve under the administration. He had a strong focus on long term health sector reform and good governance.

Nigerian Economic Society Fellowship Conferment

On September 17, 2013, Lambo was conferred with a Fellowship by the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) along with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in the presence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR and the President of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES), Professor Akin Iwayemi.

Other activities

* Roll Back Malaria Partnership, Chairman of the Board (2005-2007) *

Medicines for Malaria Venture Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), a not-for-profit public-private partnership, was established as a foundation in Switzerland in 1999. Its mission is to reduce the burden of malaria in disease-endemic countries by developing and facilitating t ...

(MVV), Member of the Board of Directors (2003-2009)Board of Directors

(MVV).

Selected bibliography

* * * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lambo, Eyitayo 1944 births Living people Yoruba politicians Alumni of Lancaster University University of Ibadan alumni University of Rochester alumni Academic staff of the University of Ibadan Health ministers of Nigeria Yoruba academics Academic staff of the University of Ilorin