As part of its efforts to contribute its quota to the development of the state, the Ondo State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) on Monday, commissioned a medical clinic located at Ilekun Housing Estate, Oda road Akure, the state capital.
The State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, while speaking at the event, explained that government cannot do it alone, soliciting the cooperation of doctors and other health workers in the state, adding that they could not afford to fail in the expectation of quality service delivery.
Akeredolu said: “The state government is doing everything possible to ensure that welfare of healthcare workers are taken care of.
Governor Akeredolu called on doctors in the state to assist the present administration in achieving laudable programmes, as the government could not do it alone.
While speaking on the shortage of manpower across hospitals in the state, Akeredolu said, “we don’t just want to employ, we want to have our data to know how many doctors we have, what is the optimal level of manning, we want to redistribute our personnel, not just saying we don’t have enough personnel in Okitipupa while we have many in Ikare”.
He noted that the implementation of the Ondo state Contributory Health Scheme will ensure unfettered access to qualitative healthcare at affordable costs in the state.
He also pointed out that the commencement of the health scheme would move the state in the direction of universal health coverage for its citizens.
Earlier, Chairman of Ondo NMA, Dr Stella Adegbehingbe said the project was part of the Association’s Corporate Social Responsibility.
“We found out that there was no clinic in this community which is far from the main town.
“The foundation laying was done 11 years ago by the then executives and subsequent executives contributed their quota.
“We have been doing it with our money. So, when we came on board, we felt the clinic was in advance stage, despite irregularities in our salary, let us try and complete the project because here is far from the main town and the road is bad.
“No doubt, this project will go a long way in alleviating the plights of residents of the community.
“We are going to start with outpatients. It is easier to manage, we can easily treat them and write their medications”, Dr Stella stressed.
She also appealed to the state government to see to the welfarism of its members.
In their separate remarks, Prof. Francis Adedayo Faduyile, the former National President, Nigeria Medical Association ( NMA) and current Special Adviser to Ondo State Governor on Health; Dr. Niran Ikuemola, the Permanent Secretary of the State Hospital Management Board, Dr Francis Akanbiemu, Permanent Secretary, State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA), and Pharm. (Mrs) Foluke Aladenola, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health hailed the state NMA for the giant initiative.
Also, the Olu of Ilekun, Banjamin Olufemi thanked the association for the gesture, noting that the clinic will compliment the basic Health Centre in the community.
