Osun to Sustain Quality, Accessible Healthcare Initiatives, Oyetola Vows

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has said quality and affordable healthcare delivery remains one of his top priorities for the masses.

This is just as he promised to sustain Osun Health Insurance Scheme in the interest of the indigent residents.

Oyetola spoke during a community engagement programme organised by the state’s engagement centre on Tuesday in Onigangan Town, Ayedire South Local Council Development Area of the state.

Oyetola who was represented by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Hon.Olatunbosun Oyintiloye said huge investment had been made to revitalise the health sector and ensure restoration of healthy living among the people.

He said in a bid to provide affordable health care to the masses, the administration has ensured rehabilitation, revitalisation, renovation and upgrading of 332 focal Primary Healthcare Centers across the state.

“We have also upgraded and rehabilitated several comprehensive health centers and general hospitals across the state so as to give adequate healthcare delivery at the local communities.

“The administration had distributed drugs worth N50 million across the state Primary Healthcare facilities as well as several new beds to all health facilities across the state.

“The Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, has also got rapt attention with the constructions of 30 units of doctors’ quarters, 120-bed ward, as well as the renovation of major complexes, wards and laboratories”, he said.

“We have also rehabilitated and revitalised $500,000 Comprehensive Eye Care Centre, a joint project with the Lions Club International, Multiple District 404 Nigeria.

“The initiative was aimed at offering ophthalmological, medical, surgical and optical comprehensive eye care services to the residents.

“To further boost quality health care delivery in the state, 69,273 cards were distributed to Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS) beneficiaries.

“The administration has also taken it upon itself to ensure continued sensitisation of residents on the importance of vaccination against Coronavirus,” Oyetola said.

He further said another batch of 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine has been made available for the people of the state in a bid to minimise the effect of the pandemic in the state.

In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of the state’s Primary Healthcare Board, Mr Adeleke Ogunsola, said there was no doubting the fact that the governor was passionate about quality healthcare delivery for the masses.

Ogunsola said, “He never gets tired of our incessant needs, always granting prompt approval of requests for counterpart funds for all our health programmes.”

Also speaking, the Baale Osunwoyin of Oke Osun, Micheal Okanola Idowu, commended the governor for his giant strides in moving the state forward in the area of health, education, infrastructure and empowerment.

The Chairman of Ayedire Local Government Mr.Adigun Adejare and his counterpart from the LCDA, Mr Femi Idowu, commended the governor for his various social intervention programs and their positive impact on the people.