Dr Mimiko, while speaking at the opening of the medical mission organised by African Business
Owners Forum International (ABOFI) in Ondo, expressed concern that road traffic accidents had
killed more people than cancer and other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and
hypertension.
According to him, issues of appropriate first aid and prompt access to the hospital was central to
the survival of accident victims and this could only be possible where there was an effective
emergency care service.
The governor stated that the modern trauma centre being planned for each senatorial district
would have the state-of-the-art equipment and would be manned by trauma care experts as well
as supported by ambulances that could give emergency care.
According to him, these ambulances which would be reached through dedicated cell phone
numbers, would be centrally controlled to ensure that accident sites are located and prompt care
is provided through these mobile hospitals at accident sites.
Dr Mimiko, who identified the psychological situation of motor parks as one of the root cause of
road traffic accidents, said the state’s motor parks were to be modernised to ensure that their
rough and disorderly conditions could be reorganised as well as put a lasting solution to sales of
alcohol at these parks.
The governor, describing the medical mission organised by ABOFI as a response to the clarion
call by the state government for collective development of Ondo State, remarked that the health
of the state’s citizens was of paramount importance to his administration.
He declared that his government’s pragmatic health policy had brought about a significant
positive impact on the health care delivery system and the health status of people. This, he said,
was possible through such initiatives as the Mother and Child Hospital, Akure (Abiye
programme); construction of over 80 basic health centres across the 18 local government areas;
and the upgrading of the Millennium Eye Centre, as well as the institution of the festival of
surgery and eye camp.
Dr Mimiko declared, “in less than two years of its establishment, the Mother and Child Hospital,
Akure, registered more than 16,285 under-s children, catered for over 12,339 antenatal patients,
5,347 normal deliveries, 1,014 caesarian sections and 3,394 under-five children admissions.”
Earlier, Permanent Sectary, Ministry of Health, Dr Bade Omooloja, stated that people diagnosed
with diseases such as hypertension and diabetes at the five-day long free medical outreach
would be referred to government hospitals for further medical follow-up.
Leader of the Medical Mission of Mercy and Chairman of ABOFI, Mr Franklin Adekoye, said the
team picked the state for its intervention because Ondo State was now a tourist attraction for
health care development.
The intervention, whose estimated cost was put at over 20 million naira, had nine doctors and
pharmacists collaborating with other Nigerian doctors and nurses to screen people for diseases
such as diabetes and hypertension as well as offer them free medicines.
