For Oyo residents, a free health lifeline
BY OLA AJAYI, IBADAN
As poor as some residents of Ido Local Government area of the state are, they paid through their noses to get health care delivery. Though, the last administration in Oyo State gave the impression that health care was free, many patients in the 33 local government areas in the state, especially in Akufo, Onigbinde, Ogundele Alaho and its environs still paid for medical treatment. No wonder, many of them preferred the alternative traditional treatment.
But these residents have since September 5, 2011, been singing the praises of Governor Abiola Ajimobi following the introduction of his Free Health Mission which has availed them the rare opportunity of being treated with orthodox medicine.
So it was not a surprise when over 40,000 patients from four local governments in the state who had hitherto been nursing one form of diseases in their bodies trooped out to benefit from the programme.
At the flag-off of the programme at the headquarters of Ibadan-North Local Council, Gov. Ajimobi said treatment of patients in the 33 councils would be free. The first phase of the health initiative would cover 11 local governments in the state.
While expressing satisfaction with the response of people in the state to the programme on the first day, he said more than 60,000 residents of the state would enjoy it.
He said: “Since most of our people cannot afford the high cost of treatment in conventional hospitals, it is our resolve that we should take the hospital down to them so that they can have access to free treatment”.
It would not be out of place to describe the programme as the best in the first 100 days of Senator Ajimobi’s administration.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ajimobi on Public Communication, Dr. Festus Adedayo said: “The most fundamental of the Ajimobi government’s achievements in the last 100 days is the ongoing first phase of the Free Health Mission embarked upon by the government which, as at today, Monday September 5, 2011, has treated over 40,000 persons from four local government areas of the state.
By the time it is completed, it is expected that over 60,000 people would have been given general outpatient care”.
The main concern of the programme, according to Governor Ajimobi, were diabetes and hypertension screening, dental care, reproductive health, maternal and child care, adding that by the end of the programme, many other patients would have been treated of diabetes, hypertension, optical and dental complications, and HIV/AIDS.
For the success of the health mission, a total of 107 medical personnel, including surgeons, dentists, opticians, pharmacists and other paramedics, have been engaged.
The programme, which is christened “Oyo State Free Health Mission”, is organised in conjunction with a non-governmental organisation, Development Support Initiatives.
Also included in the scheme is counselling families on birth control measures, advice to teenagers on unwanted pregnancy and other life-threatening diseases.
The governor was quick to mention that the initiative was part of the fulfillment of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN’s, cardinal programme of qualitative healthcare delivery, adding that it was borne out of his administration’s concern for the wellbeing of the state.
At the end of the first phase of the scheme, about 6865 people in Ibadan North Local government benefitted from it, while no fewer than 8864 residents of Ibadan Northwest and 4737 patients from Oluyole enjoyed the free health services.
In Ibadan South West and Ibarapa “Central, 9618 and 4250 people respectively used the opportunity to see physicians for their various health challenges.
All the local governments in Oyo town also did not let the opportunity slip by. At the end, 40, 899 residents of Oyo State smiled back home with improved health conditions.
While speaking with Metro, one of the beneficiaries of the scheme, Mrs. Titilayo Toriola, a trader at the popular Bodija International Market commended the initiative of the Ajimobi administration.
She said, “The programme would go a long way in solving many health challenges facing the residents in the state especially poor people who do not have enough financial strength to visit the hospitals”
According to her, no many people can afford the outrageous charges of private hospitals in the city. I advise the government to allow the scheme to go round the whole state.
“With this, we are beginning to feel the impact of this government which we put there through our votes. If it can effectively tackle the health needs of the people. We will not forget that in a hurry”, she said.
Also Mr. Segun Aboluwade from Ibadan North West commended the government for not using any political consideration to choose the beneficiaries. “Irrespective of your religious or political affiliation, if you go there, you would be treated. I had some problem with my eyes. After doing all the necessary tests, I would also collect free eye glasses. Thank you for this scheme. Please, let other people outside Ibadan too benefit”.
Further breakdown of the beneficiaries of the scheme revealed that 819 patients were operated upon by surgeons, 3,369 got flood reliefs, 1,773 were given free eye glasses and 718 got reproductive health.
