By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Governor Abiola Ajimobi to within two weeks declare state of emergence in the Oyo State health sector as it is now in comatose
PDP made the call in a statement issued by its Oyo State Publicity Secretary, Engineer Akeem Olatunji on the death of a journalist with the Fresh FM, Ibadan, Olufemi Oluwajobi who was mauled down by a hit and run vehicle in the early hours of New Year day.
The party emphasized that “it is expressly clear that late Olufemi Oluwajobi died as a result of a failed system that has eaten deep into the fabrics of Oyo State. May the soul of Olufemi Oluwajobi continue to hunt our rulers who have refused to do the needful to salvage our health system.”
“In view of the above, the PDP in Oyo State is giving the Governor Abiola Ajimobi led APC government a two-week ultimatum to declare a state of emergency in the Oyo State health sector and failure to do this will result to a strong petition to the EFCC, ICPC, National Human Rights Commissions (NHRC), World Health Organisations (WHO) and UN over unwarranted lost of lives due to incompetence and corruption demonstrated by the Oyo State APC government in the last six years and six months” it said.
According to PDP in the statement titled “Olufemi Oluwajobi and a death too many: The comatose of Oyo State Health Sector”, the death of the journalist was a clear indication that health sector in the state is now in a major crisis, saying, ” it is expressly clear that Late Olufemi Oluwajobi died as a result of a failed system that has eaten deep into the fabrics of Oyo State. May the soul of Olufemi Oluwajobi continue to hunt our rulers who have refused to do the needful to salvage our health system.
“From information gathered, late Oluwajobi was referred to Adeoyo State Hospital Ring Road from a private clinic where he earlier got a first aid treatment owing to injuries sustained from the vehicular accident. It was alleged that on arrival at the state health facility,it was very disheartening to know that there was no electricity nor generating plants to lighten up the premises and to make the matter worse, the government so-called teaching hospital has no medical equipments to cater for emergency or accident victims.” it said
The party added that “Late Oluwajobi was attended to by a resident Doctor but the hospital has no Intensive Care Unit (ICU) just like other Oyo State owned hospitals across the State, adding, “the victim was then referred to UCH but the ambulances owned by the hospital have been grounded for long time and have no oxygen facilities.”
“The whole hospital has only one driver and it’s impossible for him to operate 24hrs in a day for months. A visit to the State hospital will reveal the obsolete state of the hospital, it is either they are non-functioning, obsolete or comatose.
The situation of Adeoyo general hospital is what is obtainable in all the State owned hospitals across the State and a sad reminder of the governance failure under the ruling All Progressives Congress of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.”
PDP stressed in the statement that “the staffing is grossly inadequate and poorly renumerated.” and that “the Primary Health Centres across the State relies on ad-hoc staff to attend to patients thereby putting lives of the poor citizens in danger”.
” Till date, the health workers are being owed by the Oyo State government, probably this may account for low morale among the staffers. Many people have had agony experiences in all the Oyo State owned government hospitals, apart from lack of constant electricity and non functional generating sets, patients fetch water from home or buy pure water for their usages in the hospital.”
“Adeoyo State Hospital as at today is a morgue not a health care facility. The Adeoyo hospital has no functioning X-ray machine and oxygen bottle. The PHCN had to disconnect electricity to the hospitals due to nonpayment of electricity bill, It is surprising that at this modern age, rechargeable lanterns are being used to take child birth delivery in the hospital while the entrance of the hospital have been taking over by weeds and refuse. That we lost a promising and a rising star like Olufemi Oluwajobi is a clear indication that the Oyo State health sector is another failure like education, agriculture, sports, infrastructures and other sectors.’
PDP added in the statement that ” of what purpose is the N50 billion endowment fund generated by the Oyo State government to revamp the health sector and what has the Oyo State led APC government done with the federal allocations, IGR and external aides that ran into billions of Naira in the last six years and six months. What has been the significant difference in our PHCs and general hospitals prior to the emergence of Abiola Ajimobi and now?
“Looking indepth into how we got into this precarious state, corruption and lack of foresightedness are responsible for our woes. Going round Oyo State, none of the acquired emergency tricycles could be seeing anywhere and the mobile clinic vans are nowhere to be found despite spending billions of state fund to purchase them.
The statement reads in part, ” It saddens the PDP that at a time the State health sector supposed to be enhanced and well fortified with more qualified personnel, the APC led-administration recently went ahead to sack almost 300 of LAUTECH teaching hospital health workers. Curiously, the state fund was diverted to establish a private health facility for the wife of the State Governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi named Access to Basic Care, ABC which is well equipped with state of the art medical equipment while the primary health centres across the State are in comatose with majority of them dilapidated in structure.
“It baffles the PDP that while the government owned Hospital is lacking basic equipments to discharge its responsibilities to the tax payers, the same government allegedly set up a private health facility less than 300metres to the government owned in which patients are referred to thereby killing public health institution for personal benefits.
“To sum up the whole scenario, the Oyo State health sector is in a terrible, woeful and deplorable state. The situation has to be redeemed and the PDP is calling on Gov Ajimobi to sit up and justify the billions of Naira spent so far on the health sector without results.
“The PDP hereby extends our condolence message to the Chairman, management and staff of Fresh FM 105.9 Ibadan on the avoidable loss of one of their shinning light, Late Olufemi Oluwajobi who passed away at the break of the New Year. Our prayers are with the immediate and extended family of the deceased. May God console them, now and many years to come on this sad loss.”
