14th November, 2016
The Lagos State Government has sanctioned some health workers in the state’s Primary Health Centres, PHCs, for selling drugs, facilities and other services meant to be offered to the public free of charge to patients.
Comissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris disclosed this at the weekend at the flag-off of the Eko Free Health Mission organised by Eko Club International and AMBSAM Memorial Foundation in conjunction with the Lagos State Government, held in Isolo, Lagos, Southwet Nigeria.
He also disclosed that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had ordered renovation of all the General Hospitals and PHCs across the state following the deplorable states of some of the hospitals.
Idris said some of the health workers had been sanctioned while investigations were ongoing on others.
The commissioner, who also commissioned the Nurudeen Olowopopo Health Centre donated by the club, lamented that there were lots of services and facilities provided by the government free of charge to the people but were being secretly and unlawfully commercialised by unscrupulous workers.
“Reports have come to us that a lot of our workers in Primary Health Centres are selling commodities that are provided by the government free of charge. That is wrong! I want to sound a note of warning for those of our staff who are perpetrating this activities to desist from them.
“We heard this last week. We have investigated it. And we have got those people and they have been sanctioned. Investigation will continue and we are going to step up our monitoring activities because the government is spending so much to provide health care for our people.
“I think it is wrong for members of staff to start selling what is meant for the people. Some services are provided free of charge but they don’t offer them free of charge,” he lamented.
Idris also said Ambode had ordered renovation of General Hospitals and PHCs in the state, saying that the renovation of the hospital would take place in batches.
According to him, the government would soon come up with plans to sensitise the public on the health insurance scheme which would be implemented soon.
The Osolo of Isolo Kingdom, Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka commended the club, comprising Lagos indigenes in diaspora, saying more residents would benefit from laudable gesture.
Former president of the club, idowu Popoola urged government at all level to emulate the club by investing in the projects that would impact lives.