The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Oyo State, Sen. Teslim Kolawole Folarin, has promised to reverse the rot and dwindling fortune of healthcare delivery by declaring a total state of emergency in the state, if given the mandate in next month's election.
Folarin, who noted that the state in the past used to be the flagship of healthcare delivery in the country, lamented that overtime, the glory has faded and the sector has grounded to a halt under the Ajimobi clueless government.
In a statement by his Director of Media & Strategy, Victor Oluwadamilare, the PDP standard bearer promised to robustly address the myriads of problems and hiccups facing the health sector in the state.
According to Folarin, the major challenges include shortage of trained medical personnel, infrastructural deficiency, shortage of equipment and medication and using political officials who have no cognate experience to manage healthcare system, with its attendant backlash.
"Oyo state has 182 doctors to cater for a population of nearly seven million citizens, (one doctors to about 39,000 citizens), 18 consultants, one radiographer, 35 dentists (one dentists to about 200,000 citizens), 1,850 nurses, 47 pharmacists, 72 laboratory scientists and one psychiatrist", Folarin observed, adding "it has no radiologists, ophthalmologist or plastic surgeon.Routine internship which could have strengthened the workforce is no longer available because the state has lost its accreditation".
"It is heart-breaking that there are only 48 hospitals, primary healthcare clinics inclusive, in the state", Folarin lamented, saying that the sordid situation at Adeoyo State Hospital, Ring-Road, Ibadan that has become a game reserve and a den of robbers typifies what many government hospitals in the state symbolises under Ajimobi.
To reverse the existing rot, Folarin promised to engage in substantive recruitment of medical practitioners to fill vacant positions and revise remuneration and benefits to competitive levels, adding "we shall encourage and support Nigerians in diaspora, who have specialist healthcare skills, to return and assist with rebuilding the state healthcare services".
"We shall exercise zero tolerance against unlicensed and unqualified medical practitioners and pharmacists, while at least one fully equipped dental hospital in each zone of the state and work with the LGA in creating at least one dental clinic per local government, Folarin added.
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