Sorry state of Okeho General Hospital

SIR:  The General Hospital, Okeho, Oyo State was commissioned by the then military governor of Oyo State, Col. Adetunji Olurin on June 11, 1987. As such, the hospital was one of the pioneer General Hospitals in the state. Unfortunately, the hospital has become a morbid secondary healthcare institution. In fact, the people of Okeho and environs can attest to the fact that this hospital no longer provides affordable, accessible and quality medicare. People have either of these two choices- visiting private health service providers within their localities or move to the state capital, Ibadan- when they need medicare.

At the moment, the two major buildings within the hospital, the administrative and Female/Children’s Ward have their roofs blown off. What sort of equipment would be in an uncovered building?

Going further into the premises, one would see that the mortuary is no more functional. The whole building is equally abandoned. The pharmacy is not well-stocked with patients required to get their drugs from any private pharmacy in town.

Although the laboratory in the hospital is working but one can be sure that it is just the basic tests that could be carried out there. The waste disposal method is also sordid, it’s all emptied in a shoddy pit and burnt periodically. It should not be too much to build an incinerator for proper wastes disposal.

There is no ambulance in the entire hospital. The one in the premises is no more serviceable, while the other is said to have been abandoned in Ibadan after developing fault.

Asides the dilapidated buildings, there are also a number of uncompleted buildings. Had the buildings been located in the urban area, it would have been overtaken by hoodlums.

It’s rather unfortunate that we are experiencing two forms of wastage with this abandoned facility- the hospital’s inability to generate employment and the abandoned structure that has not been profitable to either the government or the community. There is a need for the state government to complete all on-going projects.

I want to acknowledge the selfless service of the members of staff working in this very unconducive environment. Only committed individuals can avail their services in this type of working environment more so at a time professional are exiting the country for better working environment.

The people of Okeho deserve more; our relevance should transcend every four years when the political class are jostling for office. We need hospitals that are adequately equipped in Okeho and Oke-Ogun in general. There is no need rushing people to tertiary healthcare facilities in Ogbomoso or Ibadan before they can have quality medicare.

• Olutayo Irantiola, Ogbinte, Okeho.