Special Report: Inside Osun Health Centre Where Reptiles Force Workers To Close Early

 

-As Over 500 Residents Face Hardship Seeking Medical Attention

-Community Seeks Govt. Intervention Over Dilapidated Building

Yusuf Oketola

IN Nigeria of today, one of the major challenges facing rural areas is lack of basic amenities such as good road network, potable water, electricity and adequate health facilities.

In majority of local communities and rural settlements, poor healthcare facility is a major challenge facing people, as many rural dwellers find it difficult to get quality and affordable medical attention.

One of the affected rural areas is Ojudo Community in Ayedaade local government. The Community is faced with various challenges but the height of it is its poor healthcare centre. The PHC in Ojudo is currently dilapidated. The roof of the building as observed by OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday has been blown off while the windows and doors have also fallen apart. 

Apart from the dilapidated building, the health centre has no medical equipment nor drugs for patients use. There is also no functioning water system, modern toilet facility, electricity and security.

As informed by some workers of the PHC, snakes, lizards and other reptiles have also turned the building to their habitat, a development that forces the workers to close early.

According to information gathered by OSUN DEFENDER, over 500 registered patients are using the health centre from different neighboring communities including; Sekona, Oogi, Oloburo, Araaro, Aba-Osa, among others with only two health workers available.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER during the medium visitation to the PHC, some residents of the community stated that the condition of the health centre started deteriorating in 2021 as a result of a rainstorm that blown off the roof of the building.

They noted that efforts had been made while workers of the PHC had also written different letters to notify the government during the administration of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola about the condition of the place.

But all the efforts proved abortive as the government was not responsive to their request for the rehabilitation of the place.

They said: “The condition of the health centre started worsening two years ago. We have written letters to the Ayedaade local government during the tenure of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola but all proved abortive. 

“We are told that the local government did not have the financial capacity to renovate the health centre. The then Caretaker Chairman of the local government claimed that the local government could not spend more than N200,000 for the renovation which could not be enough.

“We do not have drugs nor medical equipment in the hospital. There are no beds for patients. We have over 500 residents using the health centre. 

“The windows and the doors of the building have blown off. Lizards and snakes have turned the health centre to their habitat. We cannot stay here for long for the fear of snakes. 

“The state government should come to our aid. we need water system, a modern toilet, security and perimeter fence”.

In a separate interview, a resident of the community, Mr. Emmanuel Odesola, told OSUN DEFENDER that all promises by the Oyetola’s administration to renovate the health centre didn’t come to manifestation. 

Odesola stated that the community is finding it difficult to get affordable medical attention, noting that they travel to Ode-omu and other neighboring towns to seek health care services due to the poor condition of the building.

Odesola said: “All our efforts to get the health centre fixed during the tenure of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola proved abortive. They kept promising us and never come to inspect or do anything on condition of the place. 

“The two staffs that are working there are really trying and making lot of sacrifices to help patients who come for medical attention. 

“We get most of drugs and injections by ourselves because the government didn’t supply drugs or medical equipment to the health centre. The building should be renovated and if possible, the government should provide accommodation for medical personnel working at the place for them to be available 24 hours to attend to our people. The government should also provide security.

“There are different occasions in the night whereby we take our children who need urgent medical attention to Ode-omu and Sekona”. 

The Baale of Ojudo Community, Chief Jabes Adeboye said the condition of the health center has discouraged many residents to seek medical attention at the place, calling on Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration to see to the renovation of the matter.

Adeboye stated that the community is facing some challenges ranging from lack of electricity and good road network.

He said: “We can only commend the two workers working at the health centre because the environment is not conducive for them. They are only managing to attend to our people. 

“We also lack electricity supply and good roads in this community. The government should come to our aid and renovate the health center and provide other basic amenities.

A prominent member of the community, Prophetess B.A Osanusi, lamented that pregnant women were facing delivery difficulty due to lack of necessary equipment at the community health centre.

She said: “The present state of the health centre is disheartening. The two workers working there cannot stay overnight to attend to emergencies.

“There’s is no room for pregnant women to deliver babies.

“Also, there is no perimeter fence, bed and medical equipment. Many has even asked us if the place is truly a clinic. There was a time a madman always come to sleep inside the place until we chased him out. 

“We urged Osun State government to assist us in rebuilding the health center. It has been difficult for us to get adequate medical care from the place. We travel down to Osogbo and Ode-omu and nearby communities to seek proper medical care due to the condition of our community health center. 

“We don’t have electricity and our roads are bad. We find it difficult to come into community whenever it rains. The roads will be flooded. We swim to come into our houses. The patients bring their own medical materials while coming for treatment. The government should assist us.”