*UCH is one of the specialist hospitals we have in Nigeria, yet things are this deplorable
The immediate past Chairman of the Oyo branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olajide Olanipekun, has bemoaned the deplorable state of the health sector in Nigeria to which he said many people die needlessly due to lack of attention, inadequate medical equipment and poor infrastructural facilities.
Olanipekun said this in his remarks and vote of thanks on Saturday during the burial service for her mother, Madam Felicia Adeoti Olanipekun, held at the First Baptist Church, Fiditi.
Mama died at the age of 70.
Olanipekun was flanked by his siblings including Olaolu Olanipekun (Magistrate, Oyo State Judiciary), Mrs. Rachael Ikeoluwa Adewoyin, Mr. Olanrewaju Olanipekun and other family members.
While recalling the traumatised conditions he and family members went through on the health treatment of the deceased at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan before she finally passed on on November 2, 2024, Assistant Governor to Rotn, Kayode Olowolagba of District 9126, Rotary International, said: “For eight weeks, the health personnel at the UCH could not do anything tangible for someone that had terminal disease. We have some places in this world where they have structures. Whatever you want will be done for you timeously. Within a few hours or few days, all the necessary medical tests will be done for you as patients. We don’t have this in Nigeria. What is happening to us in this country? UCH is one of the specialist hospitals that we have in Nigeria, yet things are this deplorable. Why?” he lamented.
Continuing, he said, “When we took Mama there, they said we should come back for test. We went home and at the next appointed date, we went again and after the first test, they said we should come back again for the result of the test she did. We were going and coming, troubling the agonising woman, yet no treatment.
“After going and coming for eight weeks, they later said we should go and do CT Scan somewhere within the UCH. When we got there, the people there asked us to come back in two weeks time for the test that we thought would be done that day. They even said that after we would have done the test, it would take another one week before we could get the result collected. We then started asking from people if we could go and do the test somewhere outside the UCH. The staff said if we did it outside, they would not collect the result from us because it might not meet their standard.
“In the course of our inquiring how we could get out of the imbroglio, some people said we should go and do it somewhere outside and that the result would be collected. Someone told us somewhere we could do it. We went there and it was that same day the test was done. The result was out within 48 hours. That was what the UCH staff said would take us three weeks.
“After all the tests, they then discovered that Mama needed chemotherapy, and we had been carrying her to and fro for eight weeks. That was how we started chemotherapy. We did the first round; the second round……(Sobbing). Well, afterwards, there was no power supply for the hospital staff to work again. The non-medical staff of UCH were on strike between Monday October 28, 2024 and Saturday November 2, 2024 when Mama died. I must say that health institution in Nigeria failed us; it failed our Mama.
“According to what the Bible tells us as Christians, we know that no one can add to his or her destined days on earth, and we have accepted that as the fate of our Mama, but we can do better as a Nation. I have to say it here. We can do better”, Olanipekun stressed.
Corroborating Olanipekun’s lamentation, Revd. Dr. Ola Ojoawo, Presiding Pastor of the Church, appealed to the Federal Government to fund the dying health sector so that the masses, who cannot afford overseas medical tourism like the politicians, could live happily, and stop their needless and avoidable untimely deaths.
In attendance were many dignitaries from all walks of life including Hon. Justice I.O. Aiki (rtd), Chairman, Oyo State Anti Land Grabbing Task Force; Hon. Justice M. O. Ishola of the Oyo State High Court; Mogaji Isiaka Olagunju, SAN, (Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission Chairman); Mr. Yusuff Ogunrinde (SAN); Hon. Femi Aikomo (Afijio LG Chairman); Prof. Babatunde Oni SAN – Faculty of Law, University of Lagos; Dr. Adekunle Ladipo Ogunmola – former INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Board of Trustees, Oyo Premier Club, Oyo.
Also in attendance were Mr Dare Ayoola Opadeji – Controller of Corrections – Nigerian Correction Services, Abeokuta; Oba Sakiru Oyewole Oyelere Ajani Eedu II – the Onifiditi of Fiditi; Engr (Dr) Babajide Agunbiade – the Atobaase of Yorubaland ably represented by his sister; Alhaji Ademola Wasiu Alli – CEO Ayawa Farms Ltd., Fiditi – the Asiwaju Adinni of AFIJIO Land; Aare Tajudeen Ahmed Adebayo Kamarise – Aare Musulumi of Oyo Land.
Others included Prof. Gaius Okwezuzu – Faculty of Law, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo; Mrs Ogunkanmi A.A. – Chief Magistrate Admin, Oyo State Judiciary; Mr Oladele Adisa – Deputy Chief Registrar, Oyo State Judiciary; Chief Magistrate Ayo-Alagbe, and Revd. Dr. Olumide Kehinde (former Nigerian Baptist Convention Chairman), who preached on the occasion.
