The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions, Hon. Patrick Umoh, has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to better healthcare service delivery to Nigerians.
Umoh, disclosing this when he led members of the committee on an oversight visit to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, added that President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to health is seen in the 2025 budgets for health and interventions in the nation’s hospitals.
He said, “The core mandate of our committee is to oversee this premier hospital, evaluate the 2024 budget performance index, look at their projections in 2025, see how the hospital has fared in the past years and what the future holds for the hospital.
“We’ll go to the OPD departmental section and also meet with patients to reassure them that it is the objective of government to provide healthcare for the people. We live in a very challenging time where the JAPA syndrome has almost taken over.
However, we trust the capabilities of our nation’s healthcare system, and we believe that under President Ahmed Tinubu’s dedication, significant improvements will be made within the health sector. He has allocated substantial resources in both the 2025 budget and various initiatives aimed at enhancing medical facilities, ensuring superior healthcare services for all citizens.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UCH, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, stated that the hospital faces several challenges, such as needing additional medical equipment and hiring more personnel to deliver top-notch care and effectively fulfill its primary responsibilities: providing clinical services, conducting research, and offering training.
Otegbayo expressed gratitude to the committee for their visit and assured them that the hospital would keep striving to fulfill its responsibilities to the best of its ability.
"They have requested us to compile a summary of our requirements and send it along, so I am pleased that some positive outcomes may result from this visit," Otegbayo stated.
Previously, Professor John Oyeniyi, who heads the CMD at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, pointed out that the facility faces significant hurdles such as inadequate power supply, deteriorating infrastructure, and issues with staff retention due to lack of employment benefits.
We urgently require staffing, yet the top priority at present is securing a reliable power supply. Our facility falls under band A, which comes with substantial costs. Covering the debt repayments and fluctuating monthly charges ranging from ₦60 million to ₦80 million per month is quite challenging.
We have transitioned our streetlights and various amenities to use solar power, reducing reliance on the national grid—a sustainable approach. However, this comes with significant initial costs and ongoing maintenance expenses. Therefore, we require external assistance to implement solar solutions since internal funds alone are insufficient.
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