One disturbing information coming from varied components of the world is the financial recession that has enormously affected the life-style of hundreds of thousands of individuals. As a part of the worldwide group, Nigeria and her residents will not be exempted as they’re presently going by way of maybe, the worst hardship since independence.
The scenario is so unhealthy that households are discovering it extraordinarily laborious to offer for his or her family members. The regrettable facet of the entire thing is that life is getting tougher and tougher by the day and the persons are groaning underneath the yoke of difficulties.
One attention-grabbing factor that Nigerians must be joyful and sit up for is the truth that governments at totally different ranges, be it federal, State, or native, are involved and are taking steps to deliver aid to the individuals.
For any authorities value its title, the welfare of the individuals ought to at all times stay its main concern. A authorities that relegates the well-being of its individuals to the background, even when it succeeds in each different space of governance, is deemed a failure.
The 1999 Structure, part 14, subsection 2, provides credence to this when it expressly states that, “safety and welfare of the individuals shall be the first goal of presidency.”
Barack Obama, the previous president of the US of America, as soon as stated: “If the individuals can’t belief their authorities to do the job for which it exists -to defend and promote their welfare – all else is misplaced.”
In Ogun State, as an example, Governor Dapo Abiodun is a agency believer that the entire essence of being in authorities is to serve the individuals. He has demonstrated this not solely in phrases however in actions. A cursory take a look at his administration’s insurance policies and programmes exhibits that they’re tailor-made towards the welfare and well-being of the individuals.
Only recently, exactly on Wednesday, the twenty first of February, 2024, the governor referred to as for a gathering of stakeholders in Abeokuta the place conventional rulers, group leaders, market women and men, commerce unions, artisans, scholar our bodies, and even uninvited members of the general public had been in attendance.
On the assembly, Abiodun introduced that his administration would provide free medical surgical procedure to the poor and weak as a part of palliatives geared toward ameliorating the hardship persons are presently dealing with. The announcement took many unexpectedly. “Ko sele ri”, some stated, whereas to others, it was one of many rhetorics they typically hear from Nigerian politicians. To them, the announcement doesn’t make any distinction as they’ve heard a number of of such unfulfilled guarantees for the reason that creation of the present democracy.
However to the shock of everybody, together with his buddies and foes, the intervention programme took off in earnest on Monday, the 26 of February 2024, 5 days after the announcement, with the registration of sufferers happening in all government-owned State and normal hospitals throughout the State.
To make sure that the Free Surgical procedure programme achieved its desired object, the state authorities mobilized not solely manpower but in addition made obtainable ample materials assets wanted to cater to the anticipated massive quantity of people that would wish to make the most of the governor’s gesture,
The Particular Adviser to the Governor on Well being, Dr. Rotimi Ogungbe who was on the bottom to witness the primary surgical procedure carried out on a affected person underneath the free surgical procedure programme on the State Hospital, Ilaro, stated the programme is the brainchild of the governor and it’s meant to deliver aid to individuals with medical challenges that wanted a surgery.
The companies rendered underneath the programme, Dr. Ogungbe highlighted embrace, preoperative, operative, and post-operative, which is unprecedented within the historical past of this state. The free surgical procedure programme covers all operations, together with orthopedics, gynecology, obstetrics, and others.”
The particular adviser applauded the state authorities for making obtainable medical gear and different surgical assets, noting that medical personnel has been absolutely mobilized to make the programme successful.
Collaborating along with his colleague, one other Particular Adviser to the Governor on Well being, Dr. Tayo Lawal, who monitored the free surgical procedure train on the Ijebu-Ode State Hospital famous that everybody registered to undertake the free surgical procedure, would have their flip.
Throwing extra gentle into the programme, the Govt Secretary, Ogun State Well being Insurance coverage Company, Dr. Afolabi Dosunmu who additionally supervised the programme, stated the intervention was a mandate given by Governor Abiodun to offer succour to the individuals at this tough time.
Dr. Dosunmu stated: “The modalities are quite simple. So long as you’re a resident of the State, so long as you’ve gotten one surgical want or the opposite, you might be free to stroll into any of our State or Basic Hospital and register for the free surgical procedure
“The medical doctors there’ll assess you, if it’s a case that’s prepared for surgical procedure, and as soon as all different perimeters have been concluded, we’ll get the surgical procedure completed.”
He stated these whose instances will not be prepared for rapid surgical procedure, could be enrolled for them to have entry to the intervention when they’re prepared.
He added: “It’s doable for somebody to have, for instance, a cataract, and the cataract shouldn’t be but matured, we’ll nonetheless enroll the individual. We’ll give the individual a date for when the cataract goes to mature.
“For instance, if you wish to take away fibroid once you see the physician and the physician says your electrolyte is a bit excessive or your blood strain is a bit bit excessive, it must be managed earlier than you will be taken in for surgical procedure.”
The Chief Medical Director, State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, Dr. Bababunmi Osinaike, talking on the progress of the intervention in his hospital, stated it has been seamless as numerous individuals have been registered and operations have additionally commenced.
Itemizing the forms of diseases that qualify underneath the programme, the Chief Medical Director stated: “All medical situations that require an operation. A few of them are Orthopedic and Ophthalmic. There are additionally normal surgical procedure instances like hernia, undescended testicles, excision of breast lump, lipomas and gynaecology instances like fibroid and thyroid are been dealt with underneath the intervention programme.”
Head of Medical Providers, the unit finishing up the surgical operations, on the State Hospital, Ijaye, Dr. Samuel Tolulope, stated the free surgical procedure programme has attracted an enormous turnout of sufferers, and it has been hitch-free with no loss of life recorded.
The Chief Medical Director, State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, Dr Adeoye Banjo, on his half, thanked the Ogun State helmsman for the chance given to the much less privileged to have entry to free healthcare. In line with him, the hospital is absolutely ready to make sure that all registered beneficiaries are attended to.
For the beneficiaries of the Intervention Programme, the medical palliative couldn’t have come at another time however now that the financial scenario has made life tough for a mean Nigerian. For them, the governor is a “God despatched”, as his gesture has given them one other alternative to stay.
Mr. Owolabi Soretire, a resident of Abeokuta who was operated on lumps within the hand, elbow, and head stated: As quickly as I noticed the advert on the Internet, I rapidly ran all the way down to the State Hospital, met with nurses and medical doctors who registered, perform the required checks on me freed from cost and at this time, they efficiently carried out the operation. I wish to admire God and our amiable governor for this free surgical procedure.”
Mr. Sunday Alayade, who was operated on a hernia, was moved to tears as he showered praises on God and Governor Abiodun for permitting him to learn from the programme, saying with the operation completed, his well being would return to regular.
“I’ve been affected by this illness for lengthy. I’ve visited lots of hospitals however their costs had been at all times very exorbitant which I couldn’t afford. Due to lack of cash to do the operation, I’ve given up hope and determined to die with the illness when loss of life comes.”
Mrs. Arinola Adenuga, whose six years previous son was operated on on the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, says her happiness is aware of no bounds for the chance given to them by Governor Abiodun, saying that the burden of elevating funds for the therapy of her son had been taken care of by the programme.
Others who had been operated on for hernia included 20-year-old Okuwobi Ayomide, 18-year-old Onaleye Solomon, and 13-year-old Olusola Abdulquazeem. All of them appreciated Governor Abiodun for the generosity prolonged to them.
They lauded the governor for impacting straight on their lives. “All the things is free from the second we stroll in and get enrolled, screened, and do checks in addition to the surgical procedure. A few of us are even given free medicine after surgical procedure,” they admitted.
Sure, the federal government can construct roads, homes, faculties, and bridges, amongst different important infrastructure, however all these could be meaningless if the well being of the individuals is in jeopardy.
Governor Abiodun is aware of that the Gateway State would obtain extra if the individuals had been wholesome and he’s working around the clock to offer them wholesome palliative simply as he’s equally working around the clock to offer abdomen palliative realizing absolutely nicely that solely a dwelling and wholesome man or lady, can have urge for food to eat.
Udofia writes from Oke-Mosan Abeokuta.
