Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has disclosed that over 500 surgeries have been performed on patients under the free surgery intervention programme in the last one week.

Governor Abiodun made the disclosure when he received the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria, who paid him a courtesy call in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, saying the free surgery programme was designed to provide succour to the poor and vulnerable, who could not afford medical bills, just as the state was creating a database that would track a family or community on any kind of disease prevalent among them, and compile records to treat such ailment.

 "We have also implemented our health insurance programme called, ‘Ilera Dero’ and the ‘Ibidero’ for pregnant women. As of now, because of the prevalent economic situation, we have decided that all our women, children, poor and vulnerable should go to our Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), secondary or tertiary hospitals in the state; they will be registered under our free health insurance programme. Our pregnant women will get free pre and post-natal care and N10,000 after they are put to bed’’, he stated.

Speaking on the situation at the 250-bed hospital located at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the governor noted that his administration was making arrangements with development partners to position it as a centre of excellence, thereby promoting medical tourism in the country, stating that the state medical institutions had been standardised to handle critical issues, with state-of-the-art equipment and employment of experienced large number of medical personnel, to make them render quality service to the people.

While describing the relationship between the state Ministry of Health and the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta as cordial, the state’s helmsman commended the Committee for initiating the meeting, opining that it would help them in pair review of each other's research, develop new techniques and assist in dealing with different types of illnesses and diseases.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee and Chief Medical Director, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Prof. Emem Bassey, appreciated Governor Abiodun for investing in the health sector, emphasising that increase in funding, recruitment of different categories of health workers and renovation of over 100 PHC across the state, were commendable.

He disclosed that the Committee, which constitute all heads of federal medical institutions, was in the state for its 106th Regular Meeting, to pair review and learn from each other, to impact positively on different hospitals at the end of the meeting.