Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) Ado-Ekiti Workers have expressed appreciation to Governor Biodun Oyebanji for increasing the hospital’s monthly subvention from N261 million to N411 million.
The workers, through the Inter-Allied Forum comprising all unions in EKSUTH, highlighted that Governor Oyebanji’s decision to increase the subvention at this time would significantly alleviate the brain drain currently experienced in the hospital.
Dr. Famous Adeyemi, the leader of the forum, expressed his concern while addressing journalists over the weekend in Ado-Ekiti. He lamented that the institution had endured years of hardship due to the failure of successive governments to increase the subvention.
Adeyemi explained that the present administration under Governor Oyebanji has shown its commitment to enhancing healthcare services for citizens, particularly the underprivileged.
Adeyemi, who also serves as the president of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), asserted that the increased subvention would enable the hospital to fulfill its essential responsibilities regarding staff welfare and the procurement of health infrastructure and equipment. This, in turn, would enhance the hospital’s ability to deliver high-quality services to patients.
He stated that many members of staff had gone abroad in search of greener pastures due to the failure of past governments to focus attention on the hospital in terms of subvention.
Adeyemi commended the chairman of Board of EKSUTH, Dr Adebanjo Dada, and the Chief Medical Director, Dr Kayode Olabanji for their support and commitment to the growth and development of the teaching hospital.
He said, “The increase of the subvention from the previous N261 million to N411 million will no doubt change the face of things in EKSUTH, especially in the area of welfare of workers and improve infrastructures.
“The hospital has suffered a lot in the past due to insufficient subvention, which resulted in number of our colleagues leaving the institution for abroad or to other teaching hospitals who have better packages and infrastructure than us.
“But we want to appreciate and commend Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his commitment and dedication to the health sector, to helping us deliver quality healthcare services to the people of Ekiti state.
“You will agree with me that not everybody can afford the services at private hospitals. It is the public ones that can give the citizens the access they need to healthcare.
“The poorest of the poor must have access to quality and affordable healthcare and that is what I think the government of Oyebanji is trying to achieve with the recent increase in the subvention.
“With the challenges of brain drain and japa syndrome, it is obvious this gesture of government will ultimately address it because those people left due to poor welfare and infrastructure.”