Oyo to offer free healthcare, surgeries to the indigent

The Oyo State government, through its OMITUNTUN Free Health Mission, says it will offer free health care services to at least 350,000 people across the 33 local government areas in Oyo State, with 4,000 people benefiting from surgical interventions.

Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Taiwo Ladipo made the disclosure at the flag-off of the third quarter of the OMITUNTUN health care mission at the General hospital, Ogbomosho, said the 3-week free health mission will include free cataract and hernia surgeries, eyeglasses and filling of drug prescription for individuals with hypertension and diabetes.

According to him, “The free health mission has great potential to promote rapid socioeconomic development in the state thus saving the poor and vulnerable from catastrophic health spending. One of the major cruxes to look at is the issue of primary health care, vis a vis linkage with the health insurance policies to ensure that people will not rely on out-of-pocket expenditure to manage their health.

“Once we ensure that people can access quality health care in those facilities which are already been renovated, then we can be well assured that people will no longer be forced to go to quacks to seek health care service in the state.”

He said that thus far 375,000 individuals had benefited from the free health care;  2,349 from various types of surgeries, 3210 from dental care, 154 from cataract surgery while 1,141 people were given free recommended eyeglasses after testing.

Chairman, Oyo State Hospital Management Board, Dr Gbola Adetunji declared that quality health care is expensive and individuals should support the government in ensuring they have access to free health by enrolling under the state health insurance scheme at N8, 000 per individual annually.

Consultant in charge of the General Hospital, Ogbomosho, Dr Adekunle Aremu, speaking through Dr Isiaka Salawu declared that the free health mission was succour to the number of people in the community with eye problems till eye care services commence at the hospital as well as the indigent patients in the community in need of surgery and medical care.

Team lead, OMITUNTUN free health mission, Dr Wale Falana stated that the commonest medical diseases treated during the free health mission were hypertension and diabetes in adults, upper respiratory disease and malaria in children even as there were a lot of eye problems requiring cataract surgery and reading glasses.

Dr Falana, appreciating the trust placed in the government for health care provision, said comprehensive free medical care is to fulfill the government’s promise of improved access to free health care, especially at the grassroots.

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