Ondo govt to construct modern cancer treatment facilities

The Ondo state government on Thursday announced plans to construct a cancer health centre for cancer treatment in the state.

The State Commissioner of Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, made this known while speaking during an interaction with journalists and said the cancer health centre will ensure high-tech radiotherapy cancer treatments in the state.

Ajaka said this is part of the efforts of the state government to improve cancer treatment services in the state and to make treatment available.

Ajaka stated that no fewer than 4,265 babies had been delivered in the state within the last two years through the Abiyamo Maternal and Child Health Insurance Scheme (AMCHIS), launched in 2022.

He said the scheme, which was designed by the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in 2022 for pregnant women and children under five years of age, was put in place to prevent maternal mortality in the state.

According to him, the state government is committed to revitalising the state health sector, disclosing that out of the 4,265 babies delivered, 380 twins delivered, 10 triplets and two quadruplets all delivered under the state equity scheme

He said, “Implementation of Abiyamo Maternal and Child Insurance Scheme (Abiyamo Scheme)—fully funded by Ondo State Government—where pregnant women and under-five children are fully covered as vulnerable.

“To date, the Abiyamo scheme has recorded over 46,741 beneficiaries (pregnant women and children below five years of age).

“Total deliveries: 4,265; twins: 380; triplets: 10; quadruplets: 2; and all services are provided at no cost to the beneficiaries.”

Aiyedatiwa said the establishment of Ondo State Contributory Health Commission aimed at ensuring Universal Health Coverage for citizens of Ondo State, which birthed 56,700 enrollees across 203 wards in 18 LGAs of the State.

“Beneficiaries include widows, elderly, people with disabilities, the vulnerable women of reproductive age group and children under five.” He said

According to him, “till date, 101,017 enrollees (public servants and their dependents) are fully covered under the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) for all public servants in the state, while over 460 surgeries have been performed in less than 2 years under ORANGHIS.”

He disclosed that the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, some two days ago, flagged off the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) for the state’s informal sector, and over 4,000 artisans, market women, farmers, commercial transport operators, and private sector workers across the state, among others, would benefit from the scheme.

He listed other achievements of the ministry including: “Massive recruitment of health professionals across all levels of care: primary, secondary, and tertiary; training of one hundred and twenty (120) health workers on new- and childhood illness management; training of 130 health workers in 2024 across 65 facilities in 18 LGAs on clinical and self-breast examination; training of primary healthcare workers on mental health; and regular payment of health workers salaries.”

Also speaking, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Health, Prof. Simi Odimayo, said, “Regular payment of full hazard allowance for health workers; approval and commencement of new entry points of GL. 13 and 10 for doctors and nurses, respectively, as against GL 12 and 10, were the norm.

“This will attract most health professionals to the state and checkmate exodus of existing ones; approval and commencement of full CONMESS for doctors in the state; and establishment of DHCMA with commencement of full operationalisation in September 2023—this aims at providing quality and affordable drugs to Ondo State residents.”

He also revealed that the ministry massively distributed free drugs and health commodities worth N100 million to secondary and tertiary health facilities and institutions across the state in March 2023.

“Construction of Surgical and Medical wards at Mother and Child Hospital, Akure; Extension works for Pharmacy, Laboratory and HMIS department at General Hospital Igbokada, Ilaje LGA.

There is also renovation of the children’s ward, isolation ward, and female ward of General Hospital, Iwaro-oka, Akoko South West LGA; extension of pharmacy, laboratory, and HMIS departments at General Hospital Bolorunduro, Ondo East LGA, amongst others.”

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