The Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO) Media Fronts on Saturday came to the defence of their principal, Mr. Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji submitting that the comments he made on Osun State health sector during the investiture ceremony of his wife, Dr Sekinah Bola-Oyebamiji as President of women doctors in the State of the Living Spring on Friday is the ‘reality of the situation’.
Recall that AMBO had while talking to journalists at the event in question submitted that if elected governor of Osun State, his administration will pay adequate attention to health sector and other key sectors while claiming that the health sector has become moribund and half-dead under the current administration in the state.
‘Since that Friday, officials of the state government have been falling over themselves to insult AMBO, a former Commissioner for Finance in the state.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is important to state that the description of Osun’s health sector as moribund is not the making of Oyebamiji; rather, it is a statement of fact supported by reports from industry experts.
In a report published by CheckMyPHC.org, which has since been widely circulated by other news media, a crucial workforce gap in the primary health centres in the state is highlighted. It says 73% of PHCs lack enough staff to function; majority of the PHCs (73%) have 0-1 personnel, 44% have 0 staff. This means almost 3 out of every 4 PHCs in Osun State are severely understaffed.
The report also states that primary health centres in Osun State were found to be lacking clean water, functional toilets and basic hygiene supplies, making it difficult for them to care for patients properly.
The report further reveals that nurses and patients at many of the PHCs visited were forced to rely on well water or other unhygienic sources for deliveries, sterilization, and hand washing.
There are over 600 primary health centres in the state. During the Adegboyega Oyetola admnistration, no fewer than 300 of these health centres were renovated or constructed and adequately equipped for the use of members of the public. Each of these centres had a borehole with a stand and overhead tank installed, making them complete facilities.
Upon assuming office in November 2022, rather than continuing from where the last administration stopped by extending infrastructure to untouched health centres, the Ademola Adeleke administration chose to play uncharitable politics with the health of the people. Not only were some health workers who were employed by the APC government sacked, the administration also badmouthed the facilities, which representatives of the World Bank—the donor agency for the project—had endorsed as world-class’ the AMBO Media Fronts submitted in a statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com by its Coordinator, Mr. Adebayo Adedeji on Saturday.
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The statement also chronicled the achievements of the Oyetola administration in the health sector while asserting that the former governor did creditably well.
‘The APC government’s contribution to health is eternally commendable. The records are there; therefore, no amount of name-calling can diminish such an outstanding achievement witnessed under Oyetola’s leadership.
In just four years of the Oyetola administration, in which AMBO played a prominent role, a standard 120-bed ward was constructed at the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro. In the same hospital, a 30-unit-state-of-the-art doctors’ quarters, now valued at over ₦2 billion, was also constructed. Beyond building structures and health centres across the 332 wards of the state, the administration in question equipped them with medical consumables and facilities worth billions of naira just as doctors and other health professionals were handsomely rewarded. It is on record that the doctor-friendly AMBO played a crucial role in ensuring that the new salary structure for doctors in Osun, as recommended by the Federal Government, was timely implemented in 2019. Osun doctors did not only earn a decent salary, they earned one of the best salaries in the whole of Nigeria.
Several suction machines, DVT compression pumps, ECG machines, X-ray machines, and other equipment still in use in state-owned hospitals today, were procured during the APC era.
Citizens who daily use these 332 focal primary health centres, scattered around the state, the Trauma Centre, New Theatre Complex, Children Ward, Main Laboratory, Blood Bank Building and Surgical Ward at the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro as well as the general hospitals in Ejigbo, Ifetedo, etc, heavily renovated by the APC government, are forever grateful to Oyetola and his men, for their prudence and patriotism. These facilities, installed on record time, are evidence and product of the performance-based $20 million world bank grant extended to Osun during the Oyetola administration to scale up its health sector.
Before boasting of surpassing the Oyetola administration, the Adeleke government must first demonstrate its capacity to replicate the massive facilities at the Asubiaro Specialist Hospital. These facilities were built during a season of anomie and economic recession. Yet, the Adeleke government, operating in a period of relative abundance, is still gasping for breath and unable to match the high standards set by the progressive government’ the statement added..
The AMBO Media Fronts also said the Adeleke administration has found it difficult to secure accreditation for courses at the State Teaching Hospital, Osogbo while alleging that the state government had to remove equipment from a federal facility to shore up its infrastructural deficiencies.
The statement also said Dr Adekunle Akindele, who is the governor’s Special Adviser on Health, has publicly acknowledged shortage of health workers in the state the current administration has however failed to employ health workers since it came into being while those who were employed by the Oyetola administration were sacked.
‘Rather than expending energy on calling AMBO and APC leaders unprintable names, Governor Ademola Adeleke should use the remainder of his tenure to work for the people of Osun State. His performance in the last 36 months, particularly in the health sector, has been poor and uninspiring’ the statement added-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank yo
