The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, has called for the establishment of more General Hospitals in underserved Local Government Areas across the state.
This appeal was made on Tuesday during a motion sponsored by Ogundoyin and co-sponsored by Peter Ojedokun, representing Ibarapa North/Central constituency.
The motion, titled “Need for the Executive Arm of Government to Establish General Hospitals in Underserved LGAs, Increase Healthcare Personnel, and Expand Training Opportunities for Intern Students Across the State,” highlighted the healthcare challenges facing six LGAs in Oyo State—Atiba, Ibadan South East, Ido, Ogo Oluwa, Ona Ara, and Oyo West—due to the absence of General Hospitals.
Ogundoyin emphasized the critical need for healthcare infrastructure, noting that residents in these areas are compelled to travel significant distances to access essential medical services.
“The lack of General Hospitals in these LGAs has created an undue burden on residents, especially in accessing emergency and diagnostic services,” he said.
The motion also underscored the shortage of healthcare personnel in existing facilities despite recent recruitment efforts by the state government.
“While the government has made commendable strides in hiring healthcare workers, there is still a substantial gap in achieving timely and comprehensive healthcare delivery,” Ogundoyin added. He proposed expanding the recruitment initiative to reduce the workload on current staff, minimize burnout, and improve the overall quality of care.
In addition, the motion spotlighted the limited opportunities for intern students in the healthcare sector, such as nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, and physiotherapists.
Currently, only 24 pharmacists, 20 nurses, 23 laboratory scientists, and 25 physiotherapists are accommodated annually for internships in Oyo State.
“There is a pressing need to increase the intake of intern students. By doing so, we can address immediate workforce challenges and provide these young professionals with practical experience and mentorship,” the Speaker said.
The motion also commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his ongoing efforts to improve healthcare in the state while urging the government to allocate sufficient funding for training and mentorship programs.
The Speaker called for a comprehensive evaluation of all government healthcare facilities in the state. “It is essential to identify facilities that require upgrades and assess their viability to ensure equitable healthcare delivery across all LGAs,” he stated.
The Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Health was instructed to spearhead the evaluation process, focusing on identifying gaps in infrastructure and personnel to guide future improvements.
