Korede Abdullah
Various stakeholders in the health sector in Ogun have unanimously agreed that Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration needs to do more regarding its policies and programmes in the sector after one year of re-election.
Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Ogun chapter, Dr Kunle Ashimi, while commending the state government’s efforts in strengthening the healthcare system, noted that there was still room for more.
“I am concerned that the steps taken, particularly within the period under review, are grossly inadequate to address the myriad of challenges facing the sector,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The Ogun NMA Chairman lamented the gross manpower shortage in most of the health facilities, occasioned by a massive exodus of health workers for greener pastures on a daily basis.
Ashimi urged the state government to fill the gaps as a matter of necessity by implementing the revised CONMESS salary structure to attract and retain doctors.
“Ogun needs to fill these gaps as a matter of urgency, because of the stress on the available doctors and the consequences of doctors’ fatigue.
“The few doctors available, for example, have not been responding favourably to job advertisements by the state because the Ogun government is yet to implement the reviewed CONMESS salary structure.
“To reverse this trend, the Ogun government must urgently implement the revised CONMESS to attract and retain doctors.”
He added that the cost of medication had hit the top roof as well as other consumables and the cost of investigations.
Ashimi advised the people on the need to practise preventive medicine as well as embrace health insurance to reduce the burden of out-of-pocket healthcare spending,
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, however, told NAN that the government had continued to revitalise the health sector by renovating more Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities across the state.
According to Coker, government had renovated no fewer than 100 primary health centres (PHCs) and was still committed to renovating the remaining ones before the end of the administration’s tenure.
“The PHCs remain the pillar of quality, affordable and accessible healthcare services, hence our focus on the renovation and upgrade of the facilities,” the health commissioner said.
