by Abdulmuizz Oyekola
Oyo State Governor, ’Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, commissioned the renovated General Hospital at Tede in Atisbo Local Government.
The renovation of the hospital was funded from the capitation of Oyo State Health Insurance Agency.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Governor explained that it is part of his administration’s commitment to ensuring that residents of the state have adequate access to health care delivery and life supporting services to the people, especially at the grassroots.
“Health care services delivery is a major key of this administrationfor our elders, children and the whole community at large, it is not a good thing for people in Tede and Oje-owode to be going to Saki or Iseyin to get treatment while we can good provision like this for them.“
“Also we have been collaborating with the federal government most especially on security to keep our people save and secure. After then, the next thing is healthcare services for our people, for the puzzle to be completed healthcare delivery is a must. The “Light UpOyo” will soon be extended to Tede and the rest communities too and finally, I have been contributing my quota from my pocket to OSHIA, I am enrolling 1,250 heads to OSHIA out of 3000 heads OSHIA is looking forward to have among these two communities; Tede and Oje-owode at least there will be free medical services for the next 1 year.”
In his own speech, the Executive Secretary of OYSHIA, Dr Sola Akande, noted that to achieve universal health coverage, there has to be places to access quality healthcare.
“What we are doing is in line with the vision of Gov. ‘Seyi Makinde, who has an objective of ensuring that healthcare services are available to every citizen of the state, regardless of social status or location.
“This General Hospital in Tede is one of the manifestations and what OYSHIA is simply doing is to align with the direction of the government in implementation of qualitative healthcare facilities and equipment,” Akande said.
He explained further that the General Hospital in Tede was dilapidated for over 15 years and worsened by torrential rainfall of over 10 years, but had been brought back to life by the vision of the governor.
He commended the healthcare workers, who had continued and persisted in giving care with the horrendous state of the hospital before the overhaul of the facility.
Akande said training and retraining would be continuous in ensuring that personnel get a hold on the use of the equipment provided for the hospital.
“The essence of the health insurance with our agency is to have about 2,500 people enrolled in the facility, such that the facility will be receiving N500, 000 monthly from OYSHIA for its sustenance aside what it will get from the government”
“I announce to this audience today, that the Executive Governor of Oyo State has become the Chief brand Ambassador of OYSHIA, as he has from his personal purse adopted 2750 lives into Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme. While, I use this opportunity to express my profound gratitude to Your Excellency, I humbly implore all the political office holders, especially the Executive Chairmen of all the 33 Local Government areas to emulate our Principal by adopting lives as well into Oyo State scheme,“ he said.
Speaking on behalf of residents, the Chairman, Atisbo Local Government, Fasasi Adeagb, commended the governor for bringing development to the state.
In his words: “We thank the governor for what he has done because many people in Oke-Ogun will benefit from the hospital, they won’t have to travel to Ibadan for care”.
In company of the Governor was his Deputy, Bayo Lawal, the Speaker Oyo State House of Assembly, Debo Ogundoyin, Head of Service, Ololade Agboola, the Peoples Democratic Party’s Deputy National Chairman South, Taofeek Arapaja and other government functionaries.
