To say the least, the ondo state healthcare system is in a pitiable state compared to its glorious moment during Dr Olusegun Mimiko’s regime which ended eight years ago.

Starnews NG reports that the foundation for this monumental destruction was laid by the late Rotimi Akeredolu himself when, in his wisdom, chose to run the system as a one-man show by refusing to constitute the management board of the primary healthcare commission, the hospital management board, the teaching hospital management committee for the past seven years.

It’s now a gory sight to see all the health facilities, from the Local Government health centres to all the State Specialist Hospitals. In the primary health care commission, the late Akeredolu put his stooge as executive secretary as against having a full board of five members.

All the health centres across the 18 local governments of the state are now in old shadow of itself. No drugs and consumables. The old system of drug revolving funds that ensured the availability of drugs has all collapsed.

In the second tier, I mean the secondary health care, there is an alarming number of casualties, abandoned patients and a shortage of staff. Most of the professionals have relocated to other states or left Nigeria for greener pastures in abroad.

The general hospitals in the state now look like a consulting clinic, even with few healthcare professionals, doctors, pharmacists, nurses etc on duty.

For the hospital in the southern senatorial district of the state, it’s only one medical doctor left in the entire hospital to attend to patients. He has been overwhelmed with his work and now resumes to the hospital at his convenience.

The renowned mother and child hospitals in Akure and Ondo Kingdom are in a terrible state. Patients now pay through their noses to assess medical care. Sadly, there are no medications and hospital consumables to sustain health facilities. In addition, there is the perennial shortage of professionals as many of them have relocated outside the shore of Ondo State.

At the newly upgraded tertiary healthcare facility in Akure, Starnews NG can report that the construction and upgrade of facilities have stopped indefinitely. Perhaps, the contractor is one of the in laws of the late governor, and the project was under direct supervision of the late governor’s son who had abandoned his duty post as the Director General of public procurement as soon as his father died.

The ondo state healthcare system has become a sorry state of its old self and urgent attention is needed to restore the dignity of the system. The health facilities are in bad shape. There is a need for an urgent intervention by the state government.

This is why Starnews NG is calling on the state governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa to as a matter of urgency declare a state of emergency in the state’s health sector.

The shortage of personnel, medical equipment, drugs, and recruitment of more qualified personnel, among others, must be addressed urgently.