Offa Stakeholders Seek Partnership with Governments On Healthcare System Improvements
Stakeholders from the ancient town of Offa in the Offa local government area of Kwara state are seeking an improved collaboration between governments as well as various philanthropists in the communities in the country for a better and more effective health care delivery system because the government alone cannot shoulder the burden.
Such collaboration, it is believed would enhance a better state of health among Nigerians, particularly the poor masses and also ensure a longer life span.
The President of Offa Metropolitan Club (OMC), Mrs Sarah Alade made the call on Monday during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) ceremony between members of the club and a clinical laboratory centre, Clina-Lancet Laboratories Nigeria, in Offa.
“Health care service cannot be done by government alone. The resources are not just there. What we are trying to say is that stakeholders in communities can be involved in health care service delivery and the government should encourage such so that we can support them in the provision of quality health care for the people”.
Mrs. Alade explained that the OMC is a private sector-driven healthcare intervention by members of the club established in 2022 to provide adequate and sustainable provision of quality and accessible healthcare to make a difference.
Mrs. Alade, who was a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), also said that part of the ideas behind establishing the centre was to discourage medical tourism to overseas countries by providing the same state of earth services and facilities in Offa.
She added that services in the medical centre would include a laboratory for tests, a radiology unit, CT scan machines, a theatre, an x-ray, as well as a maternity unit for mother and child, among others.
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Mrs Alade further said that the centre is aimed to complement the efforts of the state government, adding that it would provide affordable health care service delivery to members of the Offa and neighbouring communities and towns.
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“Offa Metropolitan Club (OMC) was established in 2019 by members that have a shared passion to make a difference. As OMC, we are committed to making a difference by promoting the economic, social and infrastructural development, that serves not only our community but that has an impact beyond our boundaries. Adequate and sustainable provision of quality and accessible healthcare is one of the fundamental foundations of making a difference.
“OMC Medical Centre, commissioned on December 23, 2022 by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, is a direct articulation of our commitment to address some of the daunting healthcare challenges we face as a state, and indeed as a country.
“The OMC Medical Centre is a model facility with readiness for clinical consultation, surgery, reference laboratory and diagnostic practice”, she said.
The OMC president explained that the MoU signed with the CLINA-LANCENT Laboratories outfit included the provision of laboratory infrastructure, equipment and testing at the OMC medical centre.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of CLINA-LANCENT Laboratories Dr. (Mrs.) Olayemi Dawodu in her remark described the OMC laboratory sited with General Hospital premises as First class in terms of quality equipment and other components, stating that she hasn’t seen anything like that anywhere in Nigeria.
She explained that the MoU between the two parties would enable the patients from Offa and the environs to carry out whatever test in the laboratory because the club and an insurance company would subsidise the costs.
Dawodu also gave her assurance that her laboratory company is up to the task to maintain first-class facilities and also deliver on the promises as stated in the MoU.
