PDP knocks Aiyedatiwa over ‘worsening’ state of health sector in Ondo

The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday berated Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa over what it described as worsening health sector in the state.

The opposition party maintained that medical facilities across the state have been in dire situation since the emergence of Aiyedatiwa as governor 10 months ago.

According to the publicity secretary of the party, Kennedy Peretei, the state has a dearth of medical doctors and other health personnel, as neighbouring states with attractive packages have been harvesting medical practitioners from the state.

Peretei described it as frustrating that the state used to be the medical tourism destination for a lot of people in the South West.

He added that the situation is more pronounced in the rural areas of the state, as they had been the most hit by the state’s worsening healthcare crisis.

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“There is no doubt, Mother Luck smiled on the governor to survive his impeachment saga and dramatically catapulted him to the exalted office of governor after the demise of his boss, Rotimi Akeredolu.

“That Aiyedatiwa’s luck could not see him beyond the assumption of office is clearly manifest in what has become of health facilities and personnel in the state. While some people go public with their sorry tales, others endure their pains, looking up to God for succour.

“In February this year, the Nigerian Medical Association, while serving Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa a seven-day notice before embarking on strike, revealed the unpardonable state of affairs in the health sector. There are only 22 resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences University Teaching Hospital, Ondo, as against 150 previously there.

“The general hospitals in Iwaro-Oka, Ipe, Irele, and Idoani, which had at least five doctors each, now have only one doctor per hospital, who will be on call duty per week and will still attend to the day-to-day running of the hospital. Is there any surprise then why there are many avoidable deaths in these facilities?”

Reacting to the allegations, the State Information Director of Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers Independent Council, LACO-FSIC, Kayode Fasua, stated that they were fabricated.

Fasua maintained that Aiyedatiwa had been able to subsidise healthcare delivery through “his enhanced healthcare scheme, which was flagged off across the state some months ago.”

Said he: “In attempts to outdo each other and gain the favour of their principal, the PDP image-makers now resort to fabricating lies against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who, interestingly, marvelled the whole state in his outstanding performance in the health sector. The brain drain being experienced in the health sector is not peculiar to Ondo State, as it is a national malaise.

“To overcome it, the administration has embarked on massive recruitment of health workers, most especially doctors and other medics. For want of what to do, the Ondo PDP keeps fabricating lies to get noticed.”