The administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has been given a thumb up in the area of provision of affordable healthcare for the citizens of the state of Osun. A cross section of residents of Osogbo, the state capital who spoke to OSUN DEFENDER about this based their opinion on the fact that as contagious and deadly diseases spread to other parts of the country and most especially neighbouring states, there was never an accident of outbreak within the state.
Mr. Steven Adeleke who works in one of the popular private hospitals in Osogbo remarked that God has been kind enough to grant the state a special status of grace where its citizens have been enjoying good health. He noted that there were health challenges and the state had had its own fair share of crisis in the health sector, but despite that, there had never been any case of health emergency in the state whereby people die in their hundreds.
According to him, “God has been kind enough to protect the state and also to give it leadership that has the interest of the people at heart”. On her part, Mrs. Esther Oke, a retired Matron stated that from the onset, any government which want to achieve had to take into account the health and welfare of its citizens and that was exactly what this administration had done. She extolled the proactive stance of the state government and its health officials and charged them to do more to ensure that the people in the state enjoy provision of adequate health care.
“Just look at all the deadly diseases that had ravaged other states. There was Ebola and Lassa fever and of recent Monkey Pox which devastated even neighbouring states but as God would have it, we never recorded a single incident in the state.
“I think that alone is worthy of mention and this government should be given a pat on the back for a job well done.
“For these to have been achieved, it must have taken a lot of efforts from the state government and the health officials”.
“I also heard that the State of Osun Primary Health Care Development Board has been established. This is indeed a sign of good things to come and the citizens of the state will benefit more from this development”, she added.
She also noted that the state had been actively involved in all health care programmes initiated by the Federal Government and other international health agencies which the state was actively reaping tremendous benefits from. The retired nursing officer also used the opportunity to call on mothers and guardians to avail themselves the opportunity that would be provided by the November edition of the Maternal Mother and Child Health Care Week to get their children and wards who are below the age of 5 immunised against the 6 childhood killer diseases.
In her words, “the government is not immunizing any children with monkey pox disease but rather against the killer diseases that may ravaged children below the age of 5.
“This is a good development and it is an event which occurs twice in a year and it is also very beneficial for our children. Moreso, the Immunisation is also free.
“Mothers should disregard whatever news they are hearing and get their children below the age of 5 immunized as soon as the exercise commences.
“Any parent who wants to secure the future of their children should get them Immunised when they have the opportunity “.
