Life, according to an old adage, has no duplicate. Another view says, health is wealth, while some doctrines claim that fitness is divinity. In all, we are on the same trajectory where, unarguably, good health comes with its willpower.
To average Nigerians, discussing issues that border on health, is unequivocally aligned with efforts a government may put in place to mitigate the plights citizens were made to go through at getting quality health care delivery.
Impassioned by the need to establish a Federal Orthopeadics Hospital in Osun East Senatorial district, Senator Fadahunsi, Francis Adenigba, “Fada”, as he is fondly called, laid on the table, a piece of legislation to drive home the dream of a functional Orthopeadics clinic in Ilesa, Osun State on Tuesday, the 23rd of November, 2021 at the floor of the Nigerian Senate.
The Clerk of the Senate, Ibrahim el-Ladan, read the short title of the Federal Orthopeadics Hospital, Ilesha, Osun State (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB 855), effectively marking its first reading.
If this Bill scales through, this will be another milestone and a significant step towards alleviating the agony of accessing quality healthcare by the good people of Ijeshaland, Osun East Senatorial district and Osun State at large.
The fallout of this is that, the people will have the first-class medical attention when it comes to Orthopeadics diagnoses, as a branch of medicine that deals with correction of bone and muscle deformity. This hospital will deploy a range of other techniques from arthroscopy to muscle and tendon repair to corrective surgery for anatomical malalignment. Theoretically, Orthopeadics specialty hospitals offer multiple advantages compared with general medical practices.
Senator Fadahunsi, taking the bull by the horns, identified the necessity of such a huge investment of government to cushion the effects of the inaccessibility of Orthopeadics facilities in the area. Ilesa an ancient town as we all know, and a densely populated city, is in dire need of adept surgeons and hospital to diagnose treat, rehabilitate, prevent injuries and diseases of the body’s musculoskeletal system.
The speedy passage of this Bill and assent by the President will be further indications that the present administration is sensitive to the issue of wellbeing of the people and it will go a long way to complement services of orthopedists in limited public and private specialist hospitals in the State, who cannot fully meet the demand of patients with skeletal deformities.
Of recent, the menace of “Okada” riders, auto crashes, and even injuries from domestic and muscular weakness, cases of broken bones, compression fractures, stress fractures, dislocations, muscle injury and tendon tears or ruptures are common reasons people visit Orthopeadics doctors. When these services are out of reach, people suffer severe pains in their sick beds, the purpose of quality health care delivery is defeated. It is therefore commendable and timely having a Bill in this direction.
Senator Fadahunsi, a consummate lawmaker and ex-Customs chief, with track records of immeasurable accomplishments, had played an eloquent role, digging in the necessities of having a specialized health care center in the heart of Ijesaland, the Federal Orthopeadics Hospital, Ilesa, Osun State. With Fadahunsi’s experiences and as a lobbyist which is one major characteristic of a prudent parliamentarian, he knows the capacities of the Co-sponsors at ensuring easy passage of this significant Bill, to navigate all the procedures of legislations and presidential assent by the grace of God.
Senator Fadahunsi Francis Adenigba’s 29 months’ exploits in the Senate have drawn quite impressive achievements to the Constituents in all ramifications of governance and this is noteworthy.
Fadahunsi, a well-informed, intellectually resourceful reformist, is well equipped to achieve desired results at all times.
So far, he had in Ife central and Atakumosa East local governments built blocks of classrooms for students in several schools. Solar-powered boreholes were also provided in 8 out of the 10 Local governments areas of the Senatorial District while others are under construction.
When his attention was drawn to the epileptic power supply and total outage at Ife North, Senator Fadahunsi supplied and installed new transformers while that of Idasa’ base in Ilesa is fully functional. Ward 7 and 8 of Atakumosa East Local government have been connected to the National grid and as we speak, the problem of electricity in those two wards is now history.
In the area of empowerment and youth emancipation, Senator Francis Fadahunsi facilitated training of over 1300 women and youths, start-up grants were awarded for various trades. These training which include Tailoring, Shoe making, Vulcanizing, Hair dressing, Furniture/Carpentry, Barbing, Soap making and many others are still ongoing and the scopes were enlarged to accommodates larger number of participants and other interested individuals in the Senatorial districts.
It is also worthy of note that apart from not failing in meeting various requests for cash gifts, Senator Francis Fadahunsi had sponsored about 308 youths in specialized vocations, they are all doing vibrantly well in their various fields as i write.
He facilitated minimum of N2.2m loan for 55 party members in the Senatorial district. This to any responsible person the needed empowerment that can create jobs for the beneficiaries and participants in turn will become employers of labour.
In lawmaking, Senator Fadahunsi is not a push-over, since his assumption of office in the Upper Chamber, he has sponsored several bills and moved motions on the floor of the Senate.
In drawing Federal Government’s attention to his constituency, Fadahunsi was able to lobby the Minister of Work, Babatunde Fashola in the construction, rehabilitation of some deplorable roads, the Ipetu-Ijesa-Ile-Oluji axis road, about 451m project and so many others.
Taking about employment opportunities to the Constituents, Fadahunsi has been in the frontline as youths in the district were recruited into the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, also at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, NCS, Trade Negotiation Office, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, and the Nigerian Hajj commission. These are pensionable employments, so admirable.
As part of his succour to the people during the Covid-19 pandemic, Senator Fadahunsi did direct transfer of a sum of N50m to the electorate across the ten local governments. This was at a period of lockdown. He also evidently distributed food items to individuals and communities.
He has constructed various projects with his personally resources, one of which is the popular Town hall in Ilesa West local government. There are also classrooms for schools and reading equipment. Senator Fadahunsi donated two brand new Hiace buses, 11 seaters and 15 seaters, worth N18m to the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, the PDP which is a rare feat since coming to power of this present administration.
In all of these, what the lawmaker requires of us is a total support and prayers to align with his desire to bring the people out of the wood.
▪︎Soji Ikotun is a media executive in Abuja.
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