…Says corruption and modernisation have destroyed our health system
By Tunde Abatan
Retired dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos,Professor Adebukunola Adefule-Ositelu, in an exclusive interview said that no punishment is too much to punish erring public officials and functionaries who embarked on medical tourism in the country.
Professor Adebunkola Adefule- Ositelu,retired during her sent forth as dean of Optamology,College of Medicine University of Lagos in an exclusive interview with Newdawnngr.com
Orogbo, her invented eye drop
Adebunkola Adefule- Ositelu answering newdawn crew’s questions
Orogbo used in developing the eye drop
Adefule-Oshitelu
In apparent support for the initiative of the National Assembly to stipulate punishment for medical tourism,she told Newdawngr.com in an exclusive interview that no punishment is too much if it will save our public health delivery system.
” if such legislation is made, it would discourage such habit and consequently lead to the development of our neglected health system.”she declared
Speaking further she said ,”No public or government official should be allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment as such will lead to the development of our public health system.
“what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.It is cheer wickedness for public officials and figures to embark on medical tourism and when it is stopped they will be forced to develop our local medical system.
“You can imagine they once import ventilation into Luth and if we don’t deprive them of that right to travel abroad,they won’t do the right thing to develop and revive our comatose health system.
Professor Ositelu who have had over fifty years experience as a practicing medical consultant and professor of Optamology said corruption and modernisation of our value system is responsible for the deterioration of the nation’s health sector.
As for her,the various nationalities in the country had inbuilt cultures, which develop good health system like local vaccination and hygienic ways of living as a complement to modernisation but regretted such have been neglected and destroyed over the years.
She recalled that even, though, we had three tiers of health system it had been allowed to deteriorate over the years adding that in the 70s and 80s the nation’s health system was comparable to what obtained in other civilized countries.
Hear her, “I was born in Mercy Street Hospital in Lagos and health workers were humane and had human blood running in their veins and so much confidence was in them though they were not many but were doing well as responsible practitioners to deliver the best.”
Professor Adefule- Ositelu recalled that those who were at the helm of affairs in the period under review were responsible for formulating and implementing good policies and spent what was allocated to them judiciously adding,”there was no fake drugs then but modernisation and defilement have made our health system to go from bad to worst.corruption has destroyed the nation’s health system and no effort will be too much to salvage it”.
Watch out for her full interview in Newdawnngr.com.It is revealing on the nation’s health sector and attempt to intergrate traditional health delivery into the health sector as approved by WHO.
