15th March, 2017
The doctors, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with various inscriptions, took their protest to the governor’s office in Abeokuta.
Dr Abayomi Olajide, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), said they were unhappy that Gov. Ibikunle Amosun had yet to fulfil his campaign promises made to them in 2011.
He flayed the dearth of manpower in government hospitals, saying the ratio of doctors to patients was overly low.
“NMA Ogun was highly supportive of your ascension into office in 2011.
“We were inundated by your campaign promises of free and qualitative healthcare; your promises are yet to be actualised in the health sector.
“The level of infrastructural decay ranges from dilapidated structures, obsolete equipment and poor drug supply chain.
“There is no single CT scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine owned by the state. This negates the Ogun standard we all clamour for.
“The number of health workers in Ogun State is abysmally poor. We have less than 150 doctors manning over 40 health institutions in the state; that is half the population of the doctors manning FMC,’’ Olajide said.
He called on the government to address the challenges bedeviling the health sector and make it better in line with the promise to the electorate.
Responding on behalf of the governor, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, the Secretary to the State Government, said the government was aware of the challenges facing the doctors and the need to do more.
“We know there’s still a lot to do, but for the constraints of cash; which is not an excuse because health is very important to us,’’ Adeoluwa said.
He assured them that government would invite them in the next 30 days for more consultation, to proffer solutions.