Nigerian Medical Association( NMA), Oyo State branch, on Monday, donated to the care of five indigent babies at Oyo State’s only paediatric hospital, Oni and Sons Memorial Hospital, Ibadan.
NMA Oyo State Chairman, Dr Akin Sodipo, said the financial support for these five babies, who was on admission for different medical conditions at the hospital, was to complement’s the hospital’s effort at their treatment.
Sodipo, represented by his vice-chairman, Dr Ayotunde Fasunla said when sick, treatment requires money and urged their parent’s compliance with medical advice and treatment that the children can recover quickly.
While making the donation to commemorate the 2019 physician’s week, Dr Sodipo said medicine is not only about given injections and drugs, but also showing love and caring for sick persons.
He, however, called for a cordial interprofessional relationship among the medical team for the sake of patients and harmony in the hospital.
Receiving the NMA Oyo state team, chief consultant in charge of Oni and Sons Memorial Hospital, Dr Campbell said the financial challenge was a problem in taking care of many children that are treated at this hospital.
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Dr Campbell, represented by the hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr Samuel Ojo stated that the hospital treats over 2000 sick children monthly
According to him, “Majority of the patients that we attend to here at this hospital are poor; we have had instances where we lost patients because of N5, 000. Some will not be able to afford blood. On a regular basis, we also raise money among ourselves to assist patients.”
She, however, decried the high number of babies with birth asphyxia referred by traditional birth attendants and mission homes to the hospital. Birth asphyxia occurs when a baby doesn’t receive enough oxygen before, during or just after birth and it causes physical harm, usually to the brain.
She added, “eventually some of them will die and many end up with brain-damaged.”
Dr Campbell urged that traditional birth attendants be trained and retrained to curb many new babies developing brain damage during their birth.
Oni and Sons Memorial Hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer, Mrs Mariam Mojoyinola, said the hospital has many needs and called on professional organisations, philanthropists and groups to stand up to do more for children.
According to her, “it is a sorry sight to see a baby die because of financial restrictions. We need help to be able to do more but we are restricted by finances.”
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