Apomu-Lona community residents in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State have continued to recount the suffering they go through in search of healthcare delivery as a Healthcare Centre in their area has become deplorable.
The Apomu-Lona Community Healthcare Centre, a huge number of residents rely on their medical care has only two beds, a situation that further confirms its deplorable condition.
Tracka, a public accountability organization that first exposed the deplorable condition of the hospital, says apart from the inadequate beds for patients, it has no drugs, medical equipment, and power supply.
This situation makes the Healthcare Centre not function optimally and impossible for it to provide healthcare delivery to the residents.
Because the Apomu-Lona Community Healthcare Centre has only two beds, any day more than two pregnant women go for childbirth, only two are admitted while others are referred to Akure or Idanre hospital.
Mr. Kunle Adebayo, who spoke to MAWA about the Apomu-Lona Community Healthcare Centre, described it as highly deplorable and accused the Ondo State Government of not properly funding healthcare.
Adebayo who spoke in an angry tone told MAWA that the situation in Apomu-Lona Community Healthcare Centre is better compared to what is obtainable in many rural villages in the state.
“I challenge you, go to the rural villages in Ondo State, the inhabitants have no hospital, and the government does not care about the poor” Adebayo told MAWA.
A senior government official in the Ondo State Ministry of Health who spoke to MAWA and wants his identity concealed, described the healthcare system in the state as below standard that needs massive funding to get it revitalized.
According to the official, corruption has continued to be a major challenge affecting community healthcare delivery in Ondo state. He accused some of the state officials of diverting monies meant to provide healthcare for the people, leaving the primary beneficiaries to die of simple illnesses.
Miss. Rita Chinyere, who claims to have lived in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo state for over 25 years, told MAWA that the healthcare situation in the local government and the entire Ondo State is in a deplorable condition that needs urgent intervention to address.
According to Chinyere, virtually all the rural communities in Ondo State suffer a huge healthcare collapse, pointing out how many villagers in the state travel far distances in search of medical care.
“I have lived in Ondo State for over 25 years, and I can tell you that virtually all communities in this state suffer unimaginable decay in healthcare,” Chinyere told MAWA.
The implication is that, if the Ondo State government continues to ignore rural community healthcare centres, many of the residents are likely to die of simple illness and Nigeria’s ability to achieve SDG goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) will be impossible.
MAWA-Foundation could not immediately reach out to the Ondo State Government for an official response.