The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin has advocated for the establishment of more general hospitals in underserved local government areas (LGAs) in the state.
The call was contained in a motion, sponsored by the Speaker and co-sponsored by the Hon. PG Ojedokun of Ibarapa North/Central.
The motion was tagged “Need for the executive arm of government to establish general hospitals in underserved LGAS, increase healthcare staff and expand training opportunities for boarding students across the state.”
According to the motion, six LGAs (Atiba, Ibadan South East, Ido, Ogo Oluwa, Ona Ara and Oyo West) currently lack general hospitals, leaving residents without access to essential health services.
The motion noted that a lack of infrastructure has resulted in residents often having to travel long distances to access emergency, diagnostic and other crucial healthcare services.
The motion also highlighted the challenges posed by the lack of healthcare staff in existing facilities.
“Despite the recent recruitment drive by the Oyo State Government, a significant gap remains in the provision of efficient, timely and comprehensive healthcare across the state. Expanding this staffing initiative would help alleviate the workload of current staff, reduce burnout, and ensure a higher level of care for all residents.”
Additionally, the motion emphasized the importance of student interns in the healthcare sector, including nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists and physical therapists.
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“The current offer for intern students is insufficient: only 24 pharmacists, 20 nurses, 23 laboratory scientists and 25 physiotherapists are accommodated annually.”
The motion urged the executive arm of government to expand these internship provisions to meet the immediate needs of the workforce and ensure a smooth transition into the professional workforce.
The motion applauded Governor Seyi Makinde for his efforts in providing quality healthcare to the people.
It also called for sufficient funds and resources to train and develop student trainees, ensuring they receive quality mentoring and practical training, while equally recommending an integrated approach, combining the establishment of new general hospitals with increased healthcare staff. and increased opportunities for interns.
The motion further directs the Health Committee of the Oyo State House of Assembly to conduct a comprehensive assessment of all state government healthcare facilities.
This evaluation aims to identify facilities that require improvements and determine their viability.