The Osun government says it will commence free medical care and surgical palliative for the residents of the state to minimise the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

Jola Akintola, the state’s commissioner for health, said this at a news conference on Tuesday in Osogbo.

Mr Akintola said that the medical care programme tagged “Imole free medical care” which was the second phase, would serve as health care palliative to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal on the people.

The commissioner said that in furtherance of the governor’s love for his people, he had instructed that palliative measures be given to the people of the state in the areas of medical care.

He said medical palliative became necessary in view of the current situation of things in the country.

He said the first phase of the programme, which was carried out between February and March 2023, catered to 22,000 people.

“As a way of touching the lives of sick people in the state, the governor assembled qualified health workers in the state, spearheaded by those at the Uniosun Teaching Hospital, to take health care to our people.

“Although the initial plan was to have 2,000 people taken care of at each of the nine federal constituencies, which equals 18,000 people, the medical team, however, ended up taking care of 22,000 people,” he said.

Mr Akintola said the medical palliative would commence on Aug. 16, and it would be flagged off at the Ilesa General Hospital.

He said medical care and surgeries such as general surgical care, eye surgery, eyeglasses and medical care would be provided for free by the state government.

The commissioner said that the six centres in the six towns of Ilesa, Ile-Ife (Osun East), Ede, Iwo (Osun West) and Ila and Osogbo (Osun Central) would be used for the medical outreach programme.

Also, Peter Olaitan, the chief medical director (CMD) of UniOsun Teaching Hospital said that only minor surgical procedures would be attended to during the programme.

Mr Olaitan, who is also the chairman, implementation committee of the Imole surgical and medical outreach, said people that requires major surgical operations would be given referrals to the teaching hospital for their treatment

(NAN)