Isaac Folorunso Adewole born May 5,1954 is a Nigerian professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics. He is the current Minister of Health under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. He is a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadanand President of the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer. Prior to his appointment as the 11th substantive Vice Chancellor of the University, he served as Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, the largest and oldest Medical school in Nigeria. His research interest is in the area of Human Papillomavirus, HIV and Gynecologic oncology, a specialized field of medicine that focuses on cancers of the female reproductive system, including ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer,cervical cancer, and vulvar cancer. Professor Isaac is a member of the governing council, Adeleke University and currently chairs the National Panel on Cervical Cancer Control Policy.
Professor Isaac was born on May 5, 1954 at Ilesa, a city located in the Osun State, south west Nigeria. He was born inside a moving car conveying his mother to the hospital when she fell into labour. His parents are traders and his choice of career was informed by his father who was also an agent of UAC.His initial plan was to choose a career in Aeronautics, particularly Aerospace engineering but he decided to follow the advice of his school counselor who recommended a career in medicine. In 1960, he attended Ogudu Methodist Primary School, Ilesa where he spent one year and Methodist School 1,Oke Ado, Ibadan where he also spent one year before he complete his primary education at St Mathias Demonstration School Akure. He later attended Ilesa Grammar School where he obtained a Grade I certificate with Distinction in 1970 and Higher School Certificate (HSC) in 1972 from the same school. On October 1973, he enrolled at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and obtained an MBBS degree from the college where he also won the Glaxo Allenbury prize for outstanding performance in Pediatrics in 1978.In 1978, the same year he graduated from the university, he joined University College Hospital, Ibadan and in 1979 he left the hospital to Corps general hospital, Sokoto for the compulsory one year National Youth Service. On completion of the service, he worked as a Medical Officer for a year at Adeoye Maternity hospital, Ibadan before he returned to the College hospital as a Senior House Officer of the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He held the position for one year before he became the registrar in 1982. In 1985, he left Nigeria to the United Kingdom for a research fellowship in the department of Medical oncology, Charing Cross Hospital. Following the completion of the fellowship program, he returned to Nigeria to join Royal Crown Specialist Hospital, Ibadan where he spent four years before returning to the College hospital as Consultant, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist.
He began his academic career as Lecturer I at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan where he rose to the position of a Senior lecturer in 1992. On October 1, 1997, he was appointed a Professor College Of Medicine, University of Ibadan, the same year he was appointed as and Member of Senate. In 1999, he was appointed as Acting Head of the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He served in that capacity for one year and on August 1, 2000 he was appointed as the Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences and Dentistry, a position he held till July 31, 2002. On August 1, 2002 he was appointed as Provost, College of Medicine and was succeeded by Professor Akinyinka Omigbodun. While serving in this capacity, he was Member of the Committee of Provost and Deans as well as Chairman, University Campus Committee on AIDS. He also served as Chairman of the Committee on Evaluation of Academic Staff in 2004. On May 1, 2010, he became an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois till date. On December 2010, he was appointed as the 11th substantive Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan .
Professor Isaac is an advocator. He is a coordinator of "Campaign Against Unwanted Pregnancy", a multidisciplinary not-for-profit organization consisting of medical practitioners, social scientists, Nurses and teachers. He had involved in Advocacy work aimed to reduce the burden of Unsafe Abortion in Nigeria. He had also led an Advocacy that promoted nationwide access to cervical cancer screening as well as the Integration of Sexual Rights in the Curriculum of Medical Schools in Nigeria. He is also involved in Nigerian medical politics and was influenced by Dr. Kayode Obembe, the former President of The Nigerian Medical Association. In the early 1980s, he was encouraged to contest the seat of Secretary of the Resident Doctors Association by Dr Kayode Obembe. In 1982, he was elected as the Secretary-General of the University of Ibadan Chapter of the Association of Resident Doctors.He served in that capacity for one year and in 1984, he was elected, President of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria and led a nationwide strike that resulted in his dismissal by the then military head of state, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari. Professor Isaac went on exile because he was declared wanted, dead or alive by the head of state. He was at the Cancer Campaign Research Institute in London where he authored four papers. He later returned to Nigeria and was elected as Deputy Secretary-General of the Nigerian Medical Association in 1988. In 1990, he was elected, Secretary-General of the Nigerian Medical Association. He held the position for two years and in 1993, he was elected as Chairman of the Oyo State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association. In March 1992, he was elected, Assistant Secretary-General of the Confederation of African Medical Associations and Societies and following the end of his tenure in August 1997, he was elected Secretary, African Regional Task-force on the Control of Gynaecological Cancers.
Professor Isaac is a fellow and member of several academic organizations. Among others includes:
- Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science
- Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria
- Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons
- Fellow of the Charring Cross Hospital, London
- Member of Pan African University Council
- Member of the Governing Council, Association of Commonwealth Universities(ACU), London
- Member of Cancer Ethics Committee( IEC),
- Member of International Agency for Research on Cancer
- Member of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer
- Member of National Panel on Cervical Cancer Control Policy
- Member of the Ethical, Legal and Social Implication (ELSI) Group, The International HapMap Consortium
- Member of Cancer sub-committee of the National Expert Committee on Non-Communicable Diseases.
- Member of National Task-force on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV
- Member of Sub-Saharan Africa Cervical Cancer Working Group
- Member of Medical Practitioner Disciplinary Tribunal
- Member of the Nigerian Medical Association
- Member of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON).
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Member of the Nigerian Society for the Study of Pain
- Member of Cancer Palliative Care Group, Ibadan. Nigeria.
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Member of the International Society for Gynaecologic Endoscopy
- Member of the International Network on Control of Gynecological Cancers
- Member of the International AIDS Society
- Member of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
- American Society of Clinical Oncology.
