The Kogi State House of Assembly has appealed to the state authorities to urgently rehabilitate the dilapidated Abejukolo General Hospital to allow it deal with the rising medical calls for of sufferers in and outdoors Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The Assembly made the appeals on Tuesday throughout plenary.
Moving the movement on the ground of the home, the member representing Omala State Constituency, Umar Yahaya defined that, prior to now, Abejukolo General Hospital served as the one supplier of the medical wants of the folks of Omala till its providers turned moribund due to failure on the a part of the related authorities in sustaining the hospital.
Yahaya famous that many indigenous folks of the native authorities have misplaced their lives due to improper medical care of their locality.
The lawmakers mentioned, “We are concerned that the Abejukolo General Hospital is not only left with only a medical doctor but that the physician is forced to work under debilitating conditions of inadequate medical facilities and shortage of medical assistants to mention the least.
“The absence of obstetrician or at best a medical birth attendant coupled with the lack of the least medical equipment like obstetrical forceps has led to increased birth-related complications such as uncontrolled haemorrhage (excessive bleeding), perinatal asphyxia (early breaking of water) to mention the least.
“Our Pregnant women today are exposed to quacks as a result, residents of Omala are now left to patronize chemist shops that are mostly substandard, leading to a further rise in medical complications and deaths.
“It is not only by the plight of the pregnant women but also by the increasing death of accident victims due to the failure of the Hospital to effectively carry out emergency service Omala residents, travellers and indigenes alike now look up to this honourable Assembly to rescue them.
“The failure of this hospital gave rise to many private medical outlets in the area charging exorbitantly yet providing substandard services.
“This situation has significantly hampered economic development and the level of material comforts in terms of goods and services available to the people of Omala Local Government Area of our dear State.
“No doubt, the axiomatic expression, “Health Is Wealth” encourages wellness and the State of being freed from bodily or psychological illnesses or malfunction to pursue happiness by way of socio-economic actions”.
He prayed that the State Ministry of Health be known as upon to undertake a facility tour of the Abejukolo General Hospital to confirm the deplorable situation of the hospital and decide vital cures to guarantee the availability of medical providers to the folks.
He equally urged the state authorities to make budgetary provisions within the 2024 Appropriation Bill for upgrading the Abejukolo General Hospital to a Specialist Hospital.
Seconding the movement, the member representing Dekina Biraidu State Constituency, Ochidi Usman Shehu mentioned the issue isn’t peculiar to Omala alone, noting that, there are numerous well being amenities with out personnel throughout the 21 native governments of Kogi State.
He needs the state authorities to interact new docs throughout Kogi State to handle the issue.
On their half, the members representing Okene Town Hon. Suleiman Abdulrazak and his colleague from Ankpa I, Lawal Akus whereas aligning with the mover of the movement maintained that many hospitals throughout the state are in a deplorable state, therefore the necessity for the state authorities to take pressing motion to handle the issue in rural areas.
Ruling on the movement, the Speaker of the Assembly, Aliyu Umar Yusuf mandated the Committee on Health and Social Services to embark on an on-the-spot evaluation of the Hospitals throughout the state with a view to figuring out their circumstances for potential legislative interventions.
