• Resident doctors say Kwara health sector now better
• Gov meets Ilorin Emirate chiefs, lists govt’s priorities

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday said his first priority in the health sector is to ensure that hospitals in the state are well-equipped to deliver basic healthcare to the people.

“At the moment, our focus is to bring back our hospitals because most of our hospitals do not have water, electricity and other basic amenities," AbdulRazaq said during a meeting with the top echelon of the National Association of Resident Doctors, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Chapter, led by its Chairman, Dr Saliu Mumeen, at the Government House in Ilorin.

"As you might have noticed, when we came in, our schools of Nursing and Midwifery have lost accreditations and we ensured that we got that back."

AbdulRazaq also said administration would invest in technology and innovation in the health sector to halt medical tourism and stem diseases.

The government would commence health insurance scheme and introduce other innovations like telemedicine once the basic health facilities have been fixed, he added.

Prof Wale Suleiman, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Matters, called on the doctors to adopt a mutual approach in service delivery by making the patients the centre of their professional activities.

Dr Mumeen, for his part, commended AbdulRazaq for his swift actions on basic healthcare delivery in the state and called for domestication of the National Health Act and placement of new doctors for residency training in government general hospitals.

"We appreciate your efforts in the area of health as we know that in August you released N232m to improve maternal and child health care in Kwara State and we have seen the turnaround. This is due to your dedication to effect positive change in Kwara State and they have started materialising,” he said.

Also on Wednesday, the Governor met with the Alanguas (community heads) from across the Ilorin Emirate, calling on them to continue to update the government on the happenings in their domains and how it can further deliver democracy dividends to the people.

AbdulRazaq listed his administration’s major priorities to include education, health, water and road.

He reiterated his support and respect for the leaders of the traditional institutions who he described as “our fathers and you know better what affects our communities”.

He said that his steps so far have put a lie to campaign-season rumour that he was going to unhorse various heads of the communities if elected.

“Our priority is to move this state forward. We need your support and your advice from time to time and we shall continue to meet with you at regular intervals,” he said, commending the traditional heads for their huge turnout.

The Chairman of Alanguas and Mogajis Forum in Ilorin Emirate and Alangua of Ile Apa, Alhaji Yusuf Salihu who spoke for the chiefs, affirmed the confidence of the traditional heads in the present leadership in the state, pledging their support for AbdulRazaq on his mission to serve the people.

AbdulRazaq, meanwhile, has been decorated as a hero of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Kwara axis owing to what the body called the Governor’s dedication to the welfare of Kwara students and his focus on qualitative education.

The decoration took place Wednesday evening when the Governor hosted thousands of students who had earlier staged an anti-cultism and social vices rally in Ilorin.

The body, who also passed a vote of confidence in the Governor, urged him to do more to advance the interest of the students.

AbdulRazaq again called on the students to shun cultism, drug abuse and other vices that could affect their future.

Saheed Olosasa, the leader of the students, said their visit was to draw the governor's attention to their effort to kick out cultism and other social vices from the institutions of learning, with them staging an Awareness Rally against social vices in schools.

The Governor’s commitment to deepen access to quality education and facilitate conducive learning for students are noticeable by Kwarans and he deserves to be encouraged, according to Olosasa.

He, however, requested the establishment of a students' welfare committee that will cater for campus safety and reinstatement of subvention for the students’ union body to ease the running of its affairs.