…Govt to build Cancer Treatment Center
By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi
Ondo State Governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Thursday announced that the state’s Abiyamo Maternal and Child Health Insurance Scheme (AMCHIS) has successfully delivered 4,265 babies since its inception in 2022.
The scheme, designed to prevent maternal mortality, provides free healthcare services to pregnant women and children under five years old.
This announcement came just as the Governor revealed his administration’s plan to construct a cancer treatment center in the state
Aiyedatiwa revealed that the scheme which was the brainchild of his late principal, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has recorded over 46,741 beneficiaries, including 380 twins, 10 triplets, and two quadruplets.
These revelations were made by the Governor through the Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Awolowo Banji Ajaka, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Prof Simi Odimayo.
The duo spoke in Akure, the Ondo state capital on Thursday, at a programme organised by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Wale Akinlosotu for state government officials to give accounts of their stewardship so far in their respective offices.
The Governor highlighted other achievements of his administration in the health sector, including:
– Establishment of the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission, which has enrolled 56,700 beneficiaries across 203 wards in 18 LGAs.
– Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) for public servants, which has covered 101,017 enrollees and performed over 460 surgeries in less than two years.
– Flagging off of ORANGHIS for the informal sector, benefiting over 4,000 artisans, market women, farmers, and private sector workers.
– Massive recruitment of health professionals, training of health workers, and regular payment of health workers’ salaries.
– Distribution of free drugs and health commodities worth N100 million to secondary and tertiary health facilities.
He listed other achievements in the ministry of health to include: “Training of one hundred and twenty (120) health workers on new – and childhood illness management; training of 130 health workers in 2024 across 65 facilities in 18 LGAs on clinical and self-breast examination; training of primary healthcare workers on mental health and regular payment of health workers salaries.
“Regular payment of full hazard allowance for health workers; approval and commencement of new entry points of GL 13 and 10 for doctors and nurses respectively, as against the hitherto GL 12 and 10. This will attract most health professionals to the State and checkmate exodus of existing ones; approval and commencement of full CONMESS for doctors in the State and establishment of DHCMA with commencement of full operationalization in September, 2023-this aims at providing quality and affordable drugs to Ondo State residents.”
Besides, he revealed that the ministry massively distributed free drugs and health commodities worth N100 million to secondary and tertiary health facilities/institutions across the State in March, 2023.
Additional achievements were listed as: “Construction of Surgical and Medical wards at Mother and Child Hospital, Akure; Extension works for Pharmacy, Laboratory and HMIS department at General Hospital Igbokada, Ilaje LGA; renovation of Children ward, Isolation ward, and Female ward of General Hospital, Iwaro-oka. Akoko South West LGA; extension of Pharmacy, Laboratory and HMIS departments at General Hospital Bolorunduro, Ondo East LGA amongst others.”
Aiyedatiwa’s Special Adviser on Health, Prof. Simi Odimayo, also highlighted additional achievements, including the establishment of the Drug and Health Commodities Management Agency, renovation of hospital wards, and extension of pharmacy and laboratory departments.
