Igbotako community donates N20m building, others to hospital

To boost healthcare delivery to its residents and neighbours, Igbotako community in Okitipupa Local Government Area, Ondo State, has executed projects worth more than N20million to enhance the operations of the general hospital in the town.

Among the projects are a doctors’ quarters, an electricity-generating set and various major hospital equipment required to deliver better healthcare services.

At the handover of the projects to the hospital management in Igbotako, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, lauded the community for its partnership with the government to provide critical services to the people.

“The state government appreciates Igbotako community for the donation of the doctors’ quarters and equipment which would go a long way in solving the accommodation and other problems of the hospital. Government is also not unmindful of your past support for the hospital through your sons and daughters and other well-meaning lovers of the people.”

Adegbenro, who took the guests through some critical government intervention programmes in the health sector, said the free and qualitative maternal and child health scheme had been expanded to the three senatorial districts, and that a contributory health insurance scheme to guarantee universal access to quality healthcare services would soon begin in the state. He also announced the establishment of a teaching hospital in the state to bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary health care.

Other eminent personalities who attended the ceremony include the Rebuja and Paramout Ruler of Osooro Kingdom, Oba Gbadebo Bajowa; Medical Director, Dr. E.I Edino; Hon. Yemi Arikawe; Chief Yetonyo Ojajuni; Chief Gboroye Iwaeni; and Chief Ajana Olamoju.

Earlier in his address, the President, Igbotako Development Forum (IDF), Mr. Babatunde Olamoju, said that Igbotako had long been used to patnering all levels of government in the provision of social infrastructure for the people. He also disclosed that the community built the divisional police headquarters, magistrate court, schools and other facilities in the town.

“This is borne out of our conviction that government alone cannot provide all that we need to make life meaningful for our various communities.”

Olamoju urged the state government to provide critical equipment like ultra-sound machine, laboratory incubator, laboratory autoclave, suction machine, theatre operating table, anaesthectic machine, blood bank, x-ray machine and instrument cupboard for the hospital.

The community also canvassed assistance in the areas of manpower, accommodation, security and electricity supply.

The head of the commissioning committee, Mr. Oluremi Olabiwonnu, who gave the history of the hospital, urged government to supply electricity to the facility and the entire Osooro land from the Omotoso Power Plant.