By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
The Ogun State Government has warned medical personnel on its payroll to shun private practice while on duty in order to avoid revenue leakage and justify government’s huge investment in the health sector.
In a statement signed by the Hospitals Management Board’s press officer, Mrs. Adebukola Adekanmbi, the permanent secretary, Dr. Nafiu Aigoro, leading a team on a monitoring visit to the State Hospital, Isara, and General Hospital, Iperu, said the delivery of efficient services depended on the availability of human and material resources, adding that concentration, focus and patience of the staff in health facilities would help government achieve its goal on improving the health status of the populace.
“Indeed, you need to do away with private practice, especially at the expense of government. You should realise that this is what you are being paid for. And this job needs concentration, focus and patience. So, you need not to leave your job and attend to other people at your private hospitals,” he said.
Aigoro, who tasked them on prudence and maintenance of health facilities/equipment, said the procurement of haematology analyzers for haematology works and non-selective electrodes for chemistry was imperative to provide specialised services. He promised that more equipment needed in various hospitals would be provided across the three senatorial districts for prompt service delivery.
Responding, the medical director, State Hospital, Isara, Dr. Bankole Durojaiye, said the visit of the monitoring team was timely, as the routine exercise would help x-ray its needs and encourage members of staff to improve on their output in healthcare service delivery.
On his part, his counterpart at the General Hospital, Iperu, Dr. Obasoji Olorundami, gave kudos to the state government for deeming it fit to assess the hospitals across the state, promising that the hospital would continue to deliver efficient service.