Oyo State House of Assembly speaker Adebo Ogundoyin has advocated the establishment of more general hospitals in underserved local government areas (LGAs) of the state.

The call was contained in a motion sponsored on Tuesday in Ibadan by the speaker and co-sponsored by Peter Ojedokun (PDP-Ibarapa North/Central).

The motion is tagged: “Need for the Executive Arm of Government to Establish General Hospitals in Underserved Local Government Areas.”

The motion, read by Mr Ojedokun, identified six LGAs, Atiba, Ibadan South-East, Ido, Ogo Oluwa, Ona Ara, and Oyo West, as currently lacking general hospitals. It said this had left residents without access to essential healthcare services.

It noted that the absence of the health infrastructure had resulted in residents often having to travel long distances to access emergency, diagnostic, and other crucial healthcare services.

The motion also highlights the challenges posed by inadequate healthcare personnel in existing facilities.

“Despite the recent recruitment drive of the Oyo State government, a significant gap remains in delivering efficient, timely, and comprehensive healthcare across the state.

“Expanding this staffing initiative will help alleviate the workload on current staff, reduce burnout, and ensure a higher standard of care for all residents,” it read.

It further emphasised the importance of intern students in the health sector, including nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, and physiotherapists.

“The current provision for intern students is insufficient, with only 24 pharmacists, 20 nurses, 23 laboratory scientists, and 25 physiotherapists accommodated annually,” it read.

The motion urged the executive arm of government to expand the internship provisions to support the immediate workforce needs and ensure a smooth transition into the professional workforce.

It called for sufficient funding and resources to train and develop intern students, ensuring they receive quality mentorship and hands-on training.

It equally recommended an integrated approach, combining the establishment of new general hospitals with expanded healthcare personnel and increased intern opportunities.

The motion further instructed the Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Health to comprehensively evaluate all state government healthcare facilities.

It said the assessment aims to identify facilities requiring upgrades and determine their viability.

It applauded the state governor, Seyi Makinde, for his efforts towards providing quality healthcare for the people.

(NAN)