BY DAUD OLATUNJI
ABEOKUTA: The  recent mid-term assessment  of the state of public hospitals in Ogun State by the Nigerian Medical Association  has shown that there is an abysmal failure in the health sector  despite the fact  that health is the second on the  seven-point agenda of  the government.

The governor shortly after he was sworn-in as the executive governor of the state, May 29, 2011 pledged that  aged people from 70 years and above, children from zero to five years as well as pregnant women shall enjoy free healthcare . But, two years after, the pledges  remain an utopian.

One of the victims, Sunday on the hospital bed

After the first 100  days  in office, the  governor reiterated his commitment  to rejuvenate the health sector, saying he has declared  a state  of emergency in the health sector but, more than two years after, there seems to be no change .

According to the state Chairman of the NMA in the State, Dr. Edward Jagun, the Ogun state government has accepted that it cannot provide the free health care services which it promised the people of Ogun state during the electioneering campaign.

“Health is the second point on the agenda but our mid-term assessment shows an abysmal failure. Primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare remain underfunded or unfunded which have resulted into adhoc or make shift services. The community based health insurance services has remained a “talk show” and quality hospital services have become a thing of the past.

Saturday Vanguard findings have shown that from secondary to tertiary care level,  there are no Boards. Also, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching hospital in Sagamu has no Chief Medical Director as  workers were still being  owed over  30 months’  salary arrears .

It was also observed that all  the  hospitals owned by Ogun state have  MRI or CT scan, Digital Xray or fluoroscopy or major diagnostic equipments and  ultrasound   scans  except  one hospital that could  provide dialysis.

Further findings  revealed that  doctors were  being  harrassed  by patients and their relatives  over cost of treating the poor which they believe has been taken care of by the government as promised. And as  a result of  this infrastructural putrefaction, hospital workers reportedly  watch  patients die because of lack of facilities to work with.

The NMA further alleged  “poor quality  of investigations like X- ray and other radiographic investigations due to archaic equipments being used; not seeing patients on time due to excess work load and burglary in the hospitals.

“The Teaching Hospital has no management boards and hence for every decision to be taken, the case has to get to the commissioner who in turn will pass it to the Governor.

“This infrastructural decay in all strata is also intertwined with lack of capacity development and personnel afflictions which have been on for some years preceding this administration. If there is perceived affliction by the personnel, this will cascade down to service provision because the morale is going to be heavily dampened.

“The Ogun state government has committed a lot of infractions against the medical doctors in Ogun state and we can only beg the government to forgive us our sins”.

While tracing the root of the rot in Ogun state health institutions, the NMA state Chairman claimed that the general decadence was  due to apathy on the part of the government to improve the healthcare services in Nigeria.

According to him,the neglect of health institutions  by Federal Government    permeated to Ogun  state with worsening health indices in the gateway state.

“Health is capital intensive and a social contract between the government and the people. Efforts by private organizations is just complimentary to the government and should not be seen as another alternative. Healthcare cannot be left in the hands of the private sector for fear of exploitation. Where this exists, the government serves as a regulator with appropriate health care financing.

The solution is not in building new centers as the administration wants to embark upon and NMA says an unequivocal  no  to this intended, unnecessary spending spree. Specialist centers only cater for less than 10% of the people. It will therefore be uneconomical to plan for the minority and allow the majority to die. The government should strengthen the existing institutions with appropriate equipments and personnel”.

But in a swift reaction, the state government said it is doing its best in the sector, saying it never promised free health.

According to  a statement sent  by  the Information  Officer in the Ministry of Health, Seun Akinlade,”government re -affirms its commitment to the health sector. There are activities going on which  include distribution of $2m.USD of equipment to hospitals, refurbishment and re-equipping of dental centres in Abeokuta, Ota, Ilaro, Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode;complete overhaul of laboratory and radio diagnostics at Ijaye.

“Major initiatives that are being finalized for imminent commencement include the Ogun State Community Based Health Insurance Scheme; the Ogun State Cancer Institute; a major new Diagnostic Centre and nine new general hospitals.

“We have just reformed our drug procurement and distribution system which will result in lower healthcare costs for the general public. Government  plans to continue the refurbishment of our existing Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and Hospitals, and further investment in healthcare personnel and training.

“We urge our esteemed healthcare workers to be patient as we continue to address the problems that have taken root over the decades.We also urge continued dialogue in seeking to address specific issues raised by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) affecting its members”, the statement stated.