By Kayode Adeoti
In order to improve health care services in Kwara State, Health Consultant, Dr Seyi Adigun, has advocated establishment of more health centres in rural communities in the state.
Adigun stated this while speaking on the challenges facing the health sector in the state, even as he added that the Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq led administration must as a matter of urgency, improve on the health care services in the uncivilised parts of the state.
According to him, some communities in the state do not have access to health services, hence, the need to provide both structures and manpower that will facilitate healthcare for the people.
He said the new government will have to build both manpower and infrastructure that will reduce infant and maternal mortality rate in the rural areas.
He maintained that healthcare facilities should not be limited to Ilorin metropolis alone, stressing that the rural populace needs it more.
“Personnel in Kwara health sector is inadequate, in terms of quantity and quality. We need to come to terms with how to improve on health workers that will deliver efficient health care facilities for the people.
“Apart from shortage of personnel, we have shortage of infrastructural facilities in the remote areas. Infrastructure needs complete overhaul but do we have the capital to ensure this overhaul? The decay in healthcare did not come about over a short period, it’s a systemic decay that took place consistently over decades, revamping it requires huge process in terms of funding. Government will have to look outside as well as look inwards to ensure this.”
Adigun, the first Nigerian medical doctor to be conferred chartered Insurer by the chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria also tasked the new government to make the insurance scheme in the state functional.
He said, “It takes so much articulation and commitment to bring about a functional health insurance scheme for the people, that mechanism has not started in Kwara that can open the door of healthcare access for the people.โ
