The Osun State Ministry of Health has responded to a publication by the Osun Defender on the state of a medical facility donated to the state by an aide of late President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Femi Adesina.
In a statement signed by Dr Akindele Adekunle,
Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health in Osogbo on Saturday noted that “contrary to the impression created by the publication, we want to categorically state that the hospital was not abandoned by Osun State Government”.
He also explained that the hospital was handed to the State Government with some inadequacies, which efforts has been put in place to address. The facility is located along an expressway yet there was no provision for security post to provide security for the hospital and equipment when it was handed to the State Government.
“This oversight, we presumed, was explored by vandals who ransacked the hospital, carting away generating set and other equipments installed in it. The State Government has corrected this lapse as it had built a security post in the hospital with plans to have policemen stationed to guard the facility and avoid criminals from accessing the facility to vandalize it, harass patients and medical personnel posted there when the hospital becomes fully operational. Also, the vandalized generating set has been fixed and a new generating house built to house it.
“We wish to also point out that the contractor of the facility did a very bad job as was evident with the roof that was swept off by wind and it took the intervention of the State Government to redo the roofing. The compound of the hospital was also not floored, giving room for bushes and other dangerous animals within the vicinity of the hospital. The defect has been corrected as the compound of the hospital has been floored.
“In addition to this, there was no provision for laboratory when the hospital was handed to the State Government, however, this has been corrected by this administration with the creation of a laboratory to serve the hospital, which has also been fully equipped to compliment its operation.
“It is also important to note that at the point of commissioning, the hospital was not connected to the national grid, leaving it with no power supply. However, this administration is in the process of installing transformer and facilitate the connection of the hospital to the national grid for optimal supply of electricity.
“It is at this point that we are and upon the complete electrification of the hospital, the State Government will deploy personnel to the hospital and put it into operation. Furnitures and other essentials that were lacking at the point of commissioning of the hospital has been procured and supplied to the facility by the State Government.
“Therefore, we want to enjoin the people of Ipetumodu and Osun people as a whole to bear with the State Government as efforts are in motion to address identified issues for better delivery of services. We remain committed to putting every facilities in use for the healthy needs of Osun people and urge journalists to partner with us by ensuring that every information put out to the public are accurate and not stir unnecessary apprehensions”, the statement concluded.
