AgboFessy Independent Media Group has raised alarm over the severe degradation of Ondo State’s healthcare system, urging citizens to support the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Agboola Alfred Ajayi, in the upcoming November 16 gubernatorial election. In a statement issued today in Akure, the group detailed the decline of the state’s once-renowned healthcare programs, including the Mother and Child Hospitals and the Abiye Safe Motherhood Initiative, both of which have become moribund since 2016.
According to health reports, maternal mortality in Ondo State has increased by 20%, while vaccination rates dropped from 60% to 42% between 2018 and 2022, data from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) confirm. AgboFessy Media pointed out that these alarming statistics highlight the neglect under previous administrations, particularly during the tenure of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, under whom the healthcare sector saw insufficient funding and critical programs left to decay.
The Mother and Child Hospitals, once a beacon of hope for free maternal care in Ondo State, now suffer from severe staff shortages and lack of equipment. Likewise, the Abiye Safe Motherhood Initiative, which had significantly reduced maternal and infant mortality rates, has been neglected. AgboFessy Media highlighted that these failures are a result of the state’s political leadership prioritizing other sectors over healthcare, contributing to a steep decline in healthcare access and quality.
The group strongly advocated for a change in leadership, expressing confidence that Agboola Alfred Ajayi, the PDP candidate, has the vision and commitment to restore the state’s healthcare system. As former Deputy Governor, Ajayi opposed the degradation of healthcare under the late Akeredolu, and his campaign promises a comprehensive overhaul, including the full revival of the Mother and Child Hospitals and the Abiye Initiative.
Ajayi’s proposed reforms include increasing healthcare funding, recruiting more medical professionals, and restoring key maternal health programs to ensure that the state’s mothers and children receive quality care. The group also noted his pledge to work with international organizations to bring in support for a sustainable universal health coverage program.
AgboFessy Independent Media Group calls on Ondo State citizens to consider the dire state of healthcare when voting in the upcoming election, emphasizing that only a candidate like Agboola Ajayi can deliver the urgent reforms needed to bring the state’s healthcare sector back from the brink.
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