Thousands of people living with disability (PLWDS) have benefited from Governor Ademola Adeleke’s life-support gadgets.
The event was held on Tuesday at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, as part of the lineup of programs marking the second anniversary of Gov Adeleke’s time in office.
Beneficiaries who received wheelchairs, crutches, walking sticks, talking watches, artificial limbs, hearing aids, and other essential gadgets were selected from 30 local government areas of the state. The beneficiaries also received free health insurance cards.
Speaking at the event, Gov Adeleke described the initiative as fulfillment of part of his campaign promises.
According to Governor “I am very delighted today to fulfil another series of our campaign promises. I promised my good people of Osun state about my commitment to your wellbeing. Again, I am fulfilling my promise.
“You will recall that earlier this year, I gave the directive to Osun Health Insurance Agency (OSHIA) to enroll all pensioners in Osun state into the State Social Health Insurance Scheme popularly known as Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS), to receive unlimited healthcare free of charge. This instruction was promptly carried out and over twenty-five thousand pensioners are now benefiting from this trail-blazing gesture.
“We even went further, in conjunction with Rotary International, to organize free medical and surgical outreach for these senior citizens. Many of them are life witnesses and are here with us today.
“My dear pensioners, please stand up for the admiration of our people!
“I am extremely glad that today I am presenting the OHIS card for access to free healthcare to the group of people living with disability across the state. I am not only presenting the cards, but I am also providing them with life-support gadgets and state-of-the-art medical aids that will make their existence more meaningful. They are my people; they voted for me, and they have been doing everything to support me.
“Thousands of wheelchairs (manual and automated), crutches, walking sticks, talking watches, artificial limbs, hearing aids, ultraviolet umbrellas, cream and glasses – for albinos and many more other gadgets. Some of these people with disabilities will also undergo free surgical procedures to cure their ailments.
“May I at this juncture, appreciate the Chairman of the Governing Board of OSHIA, Dr. Muyiwa Oladimeji; the entire board members, the very hardworking Executive Secretary and my own brother, Dr. Rasaq Akindele, the management and the entire staff of OSHIA, for carrying out the directives and mandate for the betterment of the good people of Osun state.
“Our efforts are not limited to those in the health sector alone. Let me remind us of the Imole Free Medical and Surgical outreaches, where thousands of our people were treated free. We have mitigated against the mass health workers exodus (the JAPA SYNDROME) by paying all the due allowances of doctors and all health workers.
“We have quite a lot to do for our people and we are poised to do everything. This is a testimony of our faithfulness to our people. Your health is our concern just like the lower school rhyme “Good, better, best; may we never rest till my good is better and my better is best.”
Earlier, the Executive Secretary Of Osun Health Insurance Agency (OSHIA), Dr. Rasaq Akindele said provision of life aid gadgets for all the PWDs registered to ease their life activities.
He said, enrollment of 9,500 people living with disabilities (PWD), (physically disabled, spinal cord patient, deaf, dumb, blind and the albinos) into OHIS completely free of charge.
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