GOVERNMENT and individuals must see the provision of sound and affordable healthcare in the country as a collective responsibility for the benefit of all and sundry.
The president of Iwo Muslim Association, Treichville, Cote D’Ivoire branch, Alhaji Abdulganiy Akanmu, said this during the handing over of a private ward built by members of the association to the General Hospital, Iwo, Osun State, recently.
Akanmu urged individuals and organisations to be active participants in the health sector and not leave healthcare delivery to the government alone.
“Individuals’ contributions to the health sector will ensure affordable and standard healthcare in every nook and cranny of the country and also ensure healthy living for the citizenry,” he said.
Akanmu noted that the decision of the members of the association in Cote D’Ivoire to make the donation to the hospital was to contribute to the free health programme of Governor Rauf Aregbesola and to make sure that Iwo people have access to qualitative healthcare.
“Health is a sector that everybody must be conscious of and interested in. Government cannot be left alone to handle healthcare; we should be all concerned about the crucial sector. It is a collective responsibility to ensure that our society has standard healthcare delivery system.
“We built this ward for our people in Iwo despite the fact that we live in Cote D’Ivoire. It is our belief that this small gesture will increase the facilities at the state General Hospital where the majority of our people come to receive health services.
“It is part of the small contributions that individuals can make to the society. Our society is going to be better- off if we all see governance as a collective responsibility,” he said.
The chairman on the occasion, Chief Bayo Aremu, said it was the duty of everybody to ensure a healthy living and peaceful society where life is abundant for all.
Aremu called for unity among the Iwo people in order to achieve accelerated development.