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The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Oyo State, Sen Teslim Folarin, has said his administration will make healthcare delivery in the state available, accessible and affordable, if elected into office in 2023.
Speaking during a parley with health workers in the state at Ogunlesi hall, UCH, Ibadan, on Tuesday, Folarin said Oyo State’s health sector is in shambles in terms of infrastructure, equipment and intolerable working conditions of health workers.
He listed other problems of the health sector in the state to include under-staffing of hospitals, expensive treatment and unavailability of basic drugs, adding that the situation is more “tragic” in rural areas.
“I am not here to reel out the inefficiency of the incumbent government in Oyo State to your hearings but this platform provides me an opportunity to constructively access the health sector of our state.
“It is worth noting that the University College Hospital is the biggest public-sector hospital in Oyo State, which is visited by thousands of common people on a daily basis for receiving emergency care and getting routine treatments and tests done. But the institution is overstretched. Hence, the need to comprehensively upgrade all the state-owned hospitals and also provide new standard ones to serve the lacking communities.
“As a lawmaker representing Oyo Central senatorial district, I have made significant interventions in the health sector of Oyo State by facilitating four standard healthcare facilities vis-a-vis Primary Healthcare Centre, Pade, in Akinyele LGA; Primary Healthcare Centre, Olode, in Oluyole LGA; Araromi Market in Oyo East LGA and the latest one, which is due for commissioning is 100-bed Mother-Child Specialist Hospital Abode in Ona-Ara LGA.
“A recent study shows that Oyo State is currently ranked 12th out of 36 States in terms of healthcare provision and last in South West zone. Before Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration was inaugurated, our state was 8th on the log (www.healthwise.punchng.com and www.stateofthestates.kingmakers.com.ng). To me and to the good people of Oyo State, this is a reversal of fortune. However, I must commend all our health workers for risking your lives to save lives.
“Having realised that only a handful of citizens can afford treatment in private hospitals, our administration shall reform the health sector of Oyo State. Our government shall not only upgrade the public health infrastructure in the state but also make required provisions to save lives and treat people. The onus lies on the government to take care of its citizens by all means necessary and our administration will not pay lip service to the health sector,” the three-term senator said.
Folarin highlighted some of his health reform programmes such as the revitalisation of services and renovation of state hospital, Ring Road; expansion of state ambulance services; establishment of cardiovascular centre at state hospital, Ring Road and state hospitals in Oyo and Ogbomoso; sustaining and revitalising the primary health care board; establishment of a drug distribution centre; provision and sustenance of health insurance for residents of the state among others.