Renovation of 112 Hospitals: Changing face of Kwara health sector
Since Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq resumed office as the executive Governor of Kwara State, there has been remarkable efforts to reposition the state and revamp government facilities which were long abandoned by the past administrations.
The need to put in proper shape, the various government sectors in the state was also top in Governor Abdulrazaq priorities.
Health sector like every other sectors of government in the state is currently taking a new lift following the renovation of hospitals across the sixteen local government areas of the state.
Speaking on the issue with our reporter, the Chairman, House Committee on Health and Environment, Honourable Rasaq Owolabi, divulged that everyone in the state will be happy over the ongoing overhauling of the health sector which he said will soon be completed.
He said, “Just I’ve said before now, that we are going to embark on general renovation of hospitals across the sixteen local government areas of the state, the exercise has started. We will not just renovate but we will equip those health centres too. This governor is a man of his word, he has said he will do it and he is up to it. He’s going to move Kwara State to the next level, especially in the health sector. At least, seven (7) hospitals will be renovated in each councils.
“In Asa local government, work has started in Ote-Oja basic health centre, Alapa Onire among others. In Baruten, we are renovating Primary Health care, Kosubosu, Basic Health centre, Kwuanara, in Edu local government, we are working there.
“Kwara South where I came from, we are renovating health cares in Ifofian, Oke-Ode and several others. I can bodly tell you that we’ve started doing works on every council in the state”.
The lawmaker, however, assures that before March end, the renovation exercise would have reached a remarkable state that will not be far from completion.
He added that the projects are awarded by the Commissioner of Health to the indigenous contractors saying government of the day has doesn’t believe in foreign Engineers.
On the issue of dealth of Health workers, Owolabi revealed that there has been enough personnel in the area.
He lamented that the state cannot boost of enough health workers, saying the state supposed to have 8,000 workers but can only boost of 1,000.
“We did a symposium about 5months ago, we realised that the health workers that suppose to be working in the state should be 8000, but its a pity, we have just 1000. It’s never our fault but that of past government. We met the situation on ground. We’ve done interviews for some graduates, we hope very soon, there will be employment so as to make our health workers meet up with the standard.
Also speaking on the Health Insurance scheme, Owolabi noted that the present government is starting a programme that will tackle the plights of at least 10,000 Kwarans in the rural areas, who could not avoid medical care.
The lawmaker said in order to reduce death rate, there is need to help the poor ones who do not have financial strength to avoid medical care.
He said those ones that will be captured in the insurance scheme will have to register with accredited hospitals so as to receive medical treatment without paying nothing for it.
