- Laments worrisome exodus of medical personnel from Nigeria
- Decries poor management of UNIMEDTH
Two 250-bed hospitals are being built in Akure and Ondo City by the Ondo State Government to complement public health facilities in the state in providing health services to the people of the state and neighbouring states.
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu declared on Thursday that his government has committed huge resources to the projects, according to a statement by his spokesman, Olabode Olatunde.
The Governor who spoke in his office while receiving the report of the committee set up to reposition the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Ondo, decried the poor management of the Teaching Hospital.
He regretted that the facility was not properly managed despite his administration’s huge investment on infrastructure at the facility.
Akeredolu said that lack of symbiotic relationship between the Teaching Hospital and the University of Medical Sciences was partly responsible for the poor management of the Hospital.
He assured that his administration will take proactive steps to rectify the situation.
The Governor, who also lamented the exodus of health workers in the country, said his administration is looking at sustainable steps to address the trend so as to close up the gap created by the shortage of personnel.
However he made a cheering disclosure that his administration is currently building two 250-bed hospital in Ondo and Akure.
On UNIMEDTH, He said: “We have spent a lot of money. We brought equipment and put up new buildings. The management has been poor as you said. We can not run Teaching Hospital that way. I have been worried.”
Akeredolu said the next Chief Medical Director of the Teaching Hospital will be advised to create a unique selling point for the Hospital’s service delivery.
He noted that the Hospital will not be allowed to be totally independent of the University, adding that there are qualified personnel in the University that can function effectively at the Teaching Hospital.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju informed the Governor that the challenges in the Teaching Hospital was poor management.
He said the Akeredolu-led administration has made massive infrastructure investments at the facility.
“The government is currently erecting a massive structure each in Akure and medical Village Laje Road, Ondo. Their completion will help alleviate the current accommodation/ office infrastructure challenges of departments like ENT and Physiotherapy. It will also be able to accommodate other units.
“To improve revenue generation in the hospital. The facility can expand its services to cover oncology and radiotherapy as well as fertility clinics. The scope of the dental clinic can also be expanded to cover service that can also generate more revenue as attached in the report. The Public Private Partnership agreement should be in conformity with the extant regulations.
“The introduction of Patient Feedback System such as SERVICOM, will help in improving the quality of services in the hospital as patients, staff and the community at large can air complains that can be attended to by the supervising authority from time to time.
“There is an urgent need for the Government to put the Governing Council in place, to effectively moderate the activities of the Management of the young institution. It is obvious that UNIMEDTH has great potential from the initial exploits of the institution.”
