By Adebayo Adedeji & Oke Shuaibu Wazobia
A recent report on the Comprehensive Healthcare Centre, Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area, by Insight Media TV has confirmed once again that the current government in the state is a fantastic failure. It reveals the rot in the health sector under Governor Adémọlá Adélékè despite huge allocation that accrued to the state in the last 15 months. In 2023, the state earned N39.5bn in IGR. And in federal allocation, more than N180bn has been earned since inauguration of the brand eroder in Abere. Yet there is nothing to show for it. Rather than owning up to his failure and buckle down to work, the mediocre governor and his loquacious health adviser from Ondo State, Akindele Adekunle, continue to dish out face-saving lies to the public. Governor Adeleke is in his second year as governor, yet continues to hold his predecessors responsible for his utter lack of capacity to renovate healthcare centres as Oyetola did in his first 365 days in office. Available data confirms that there are about 876 publicly-owned primary and secondary healthcare facilities in the state. Within the first 100 days in office of ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, a committee had been set up to see to rehabilitation of some of the facilities in shambles. Precisely on February 22, 2019, just three months after its inauguration, the government of Oyetola kicked off the repair of the General Hospital in Ejigbo with N300million. It did similarly for many general hospitals in the state. By the time the former governor celebrated his one year in office, no fewer than 100 of those dilapidated facilities had been brought back to life. And before the government eclipsed in November 26, 2022, at least a primary healthcare centre had been renovated in each of the 332 political wards in the state. Contrary to the model sustained by Oyetola, the colorless government of Adeleke busies itself and fools around with unambitious itinerary medicare, a low-level healthcare arrangement, which is the forte of NGOs and private individuals. It is disheartening that a boastful governor who, during electioneering, promised the electorate world-class hospitals, is the one dabbling into road-side surgery experiment, elevating and undertaking projects meant for ward councillors and local government chairmen. Governor Adeleke has failed the Osun people who thrusted their affairs in his care. He should acknowledge this fact, apologize to the teeming citizens who his rudderless administration has disappointed and, most importantly, salvage the situation. Trying to shore up his failure by repainting some of the healthcare centres renovated by his immediate predecessor, as he has planned, when many decrepit facilities are awaiting his attention, will further taint his badly damaged public profile. Our hospitals cry for attention! Adeleke should fulfil his electoral promise now that the falcons can still hear the falconers or he is served the distasteful bitter pill when he needs the people most.