Dr (Mrs) Olufunmilayo Olabisi Bankole : Physician With Sterling Accomplishments

She is a woman of virtue, courage and excellence. On the professional front, she stands very tall as a distinguished physician and prolific scholar. Dr (Mrs.) Olufunmilayo Olabisi Bankole is an accomplished ophthalmologist and an acclaimed trainer of doctors. She was for several years,  Consultant Ophthalmologist and the Head of the Department of Ophthalmology of Isolo General Hospital, Isolo, Lagos State. She was for a period, the Acting Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of the hospital. Today, she is the Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of Onikan Health Centre,Lagos Island.

She was born on August 21, 1965 and she is an indigene of Ogun State. She attended International School, Ibadan between 1977 and 1982 and obtained both the West African School Certificate (Ordinary Level) and the London General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level). Having enrolled at the University of Ibadan in 1983, she  graduated with the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree in 1989. She holds advanced professional qualifications (Fellowships in Ophthalmology) from reputable medical institutions within and outside Nigeria including the National Postgraduate Medical College, the West African College of Surgeons and Obefemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile – Ife. She is a proud alumnus of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University College, London where she bagged the Master of Science degree in Public Health for Eye Care as well as the Doctorate of the London School of Health and Tropical Medicine (DLSHTM).

Olufunmilayo Bankole’s odyssey in the enviable world of Medicine began in 1990 when she did her Housemanship programme at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile – Ife. She completed the National Youth Service as a Medical Officer at Grimmard Hospital, Anyigba, Kogi State in 1992. Afterwards, she joined the services of Mercyland General Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, where she served as Medical Officer between 1993 and 1994. She proceeded to her alma-mater (OAUTH) and served as Senior House Officer until 2001 when she was employed by Lagos State Ministry of Health.

As Assistant Director/Consultant Ophthalmologist, she contributed immensely to the success of the Lagos State Blindness Prevention Programme. She established several health schemes including community eye care programmes and training workshops for eye care workers. She was personally in charge of the Blindness Prevention Programme Base Unit at Alausa, Ikeja. She was duly promoted to the rank of Deputy Director in 2007 and by 2009 she was further elevated and appointed as the Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at General Hospital, Isolo.

In 2005, her professional expertise found expression at the national level. She was appointed by the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja as Community Ophthalmologist and Team Leader of the National Blindness and Low Vision Survey Project. She led a team of eye care personnel drawn from different geopolitical zones across the country. Her team worked extensively in the North West, SouthEast and South South regions. Their mandate was to collect data for the assessment of the prevalence of blindness and low vision in Nigeria.

Dr Bankole has a tall stature in the world of medical education. Her research, especially in the field of ophthalmology and eye care in general, are known to be of distinguished standards. She has done extensive research in the areas of clinical hospital activities as well as population- based surveys for the purposes of eye care planning and treatment. She is known to have supervised  many dissertations for postgraduate fellowships in ophthalmology.

Some of her notable research efforts include those on “Quality of Life and Visual Function in Nigeria” (2013), “Vitamin A Deficiency” 2009 and “Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Limbus in a Nigerian” (1996). Her articles and professional postulations are spread across several distinguished scholarly journals. She is the incumbent chairman of the Public Health Ophthalmology Group of the Ophthalmology Society of Nigeria (OSN). She won the Association’s National Award for her performance at the National Blindness and Low Vision Survey in 2005. Earlier in 2000, she won the Akinsete Prize for the Best Candidate in the Part II FMCOPh Examination.

Last year, she won the PSR Woman of Merit Gold Award in recognition of her accomplishments in human medicine and orthodox medical practice. Dr Olufunmilayo Bankole is married and her hobbies include, engaging in sporting activities like playing badminton, singing and playing musical instruments.