Group condemns Ondo govt over neglect of mother and child hospital

A Human Rights group, the Movement for the Survival of the Underprivileged (MOSUP), on Sunday, slammed Ondo State government over the neglect of the Mother and Child Hospital in Akure, Ondo state capital, and other health facilities in the state.

The group lamented that the hospital which was constructed by the immediate past administration in the state has became the shadow of itself, due to total abandonment and neglect by the state government under the leadership of governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

The group who stated this in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Fesojaye Adewale, specifically frowned over the neglect of the hospital by the state government and raised alarm over the plight of pregnant women in the state.

According to Adewale, the Akure Mother and Child hospital had been abandoned since there was a terrible rainstorm, which blew off several roofs and buildings in the metropolis some six weeks ago.

He said apart from the roof of the hospital being blew off, he noted that weeds and reptiles had taken over the once-serene atmosphere, saying “the Mother and Child hospital is in a gory sight and state of reckless abandonment”

“We discovered that the major and minor theatres were not spared by the windstorm, the multi-million equipment in the section was destroyed while others were packed and littered outside the building in an open space.

“Workers in the hospital claimed that the state government has not deem it necessary to release allocation to the hospital since February 2017 when Akeredolu assumed office as governor of the state.”

The group also stated that the hospital has been using money realised from patients for the maintenance of some facilities since the state government refused to fund the hospital.

He said “since the patronage has drastically reduced due to the new policy by the state government, there is acute shortage of funds to manage the hospital and renovate the structures affected by the rainstorm.

“The present administration is eroding the successes made in the health sector, especially the Mother and Child Hospital and other initiatives, which won several national and international awards in the past.

“It is a pity that the multi billion naira health initiatives in the state are shadow of themselves across the the 18 local government areas of the state. The health policies which used to be pro-masses are now anti-people and turned against the masses.

“UNICEF and several international organisations which adopted the health initiatives in the state as models for the Sub-Saharan Africa, but it is a pity that the wonderful initiatives are fast becoming historical wastage

“The action of the present government in the state seems to be returning the state to the dark days of making pregnancy a death sentence in the state”

The group however, demanded improved funding of all the government hospitals, especially the Mother and Child Hospitals, which offered free medical services to expectant mothers and children under five years,  during the administration of immediate past governor, Olusegun Mimiko.

The group also called on the State Commissioner for Health,  Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, to resign his appointment if he cannot handle the situation in the health sector in the state.

“It is heartbreaking, traumatic, disturbing and tragic to see the same hospitals charging exorbitant amount, which has led to the maternal death of pregnant women in the state.”

All efforts to speak with the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Mother and Child hospital in Akure were not successful as he was said to be attending to some official assignments.

However, an official of the hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that some of the artisans engaged by the hospital authorities to renovate the various sections destroyed by the rainstorm left the site over inadequate fund to buy materials.

She said that the workers had to abandon the renovation mid-way because the hospital failed to pay the professional charges of the artisans,  saying most of them have not been paid and also lamented that the hospital is suffering serious neglect in the state.

Similarly, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Adegbenro did not pick his calls to react to the development.

But Adegbenro had stated last week while receiving the Rotary International who visited the ministry on the  need to reduce maternal and child mortality, that the state government would give priority to the health sector

He said that the newly introduced Health insurance scheme in the state will take care of the pregnant women and vulnerable in the state, saying the scheme will provide free health care for pregnant women when it takes off in September this year