By Oyewole Nelson
The healthcare system in Ondo State is in a dire state, a mere shadow of its former glory when it served as a referral center under the administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko over eight years ago.
A visit by WeAfrica News to major health facilities, including the state specialist hospital, paints a grim picture, better described as a death center rather than a glorified healthcare institution.
Over the course of a week-long consistent visit, WeAfrica News witnessed an alarming number of casualties and abandoned patients, a clear reflection of the retrenchment and severe staff shortage that has overwhelmed the few remaining healthcare workers on duty.
“In the entire state hospital in Okitipupa, only one doctor is assigned to be on duty 24 hours for seven days, managing the OPD/Emergency, Pediatrics, Maternity, Male, and Female wards simultaneously with the huge crowd of patients,” a doctor on duty revealed to WeAfrica News.
The situation is exacerbated by the revelation that the total number of doctors in the entire state hospital is less than four, while the number of nurses is around six.
Patients lament the poor conditions, complete power outages, lack of water, and inadequate access to facilities, including essential drugs.
“The Ondo state health sector needs rescue, and if care isn’t taken, we are sitting on a ticking time bomb,” a nurse remarked anonymously.
A community leader and patient, dismayed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s apparent indifference to the masses’ plight and the deteriorating health sector, criticized him for failing to distinguish himself from his predecessor, Rotimi Akeredolu, whose tenure was marred by dismal performance.
Rather than addressing the crisis, Aiyedatiwa has prioritized political maneuvering and personal aggrandizement, the leader lamented, calling on the state government to take urgent action before the situation spirals further out of control.
The once-renowned healthcare system in Ondo State has crumbled, leaving residents with limited access to essential medical care and raising concerns about the potential for a public health crisis if immediate action is not taken.
