Oni raises alarm over return of polio in Ekiti

Owing to the ongoing strike action embarked on by the Local Government Health workers in the State, former governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni has raised the alarm over the return of polio and other preventable diseases to the State.

In a release issued today and signed by his media aide, Mr Lere Olayinka, the former governor said he was compelled to raise the alarm in the interest of Ekiti children, adding that; "Children in Ekiti are now being taken to Ikare-Akoko, Iju/Ita-Ogbolu, Akure and other towns in Ondo State for immunisation because there are no health workers to carry out the immunisation exercise."

"I have received reports of Ekiti children now being taken to Ondo State for immunisation and I am compelled to appeal to the State government and the striking health workers to please save the lives of our children.

"Some of our mothers, who took their children to Ita-Ogbolu today were told to wait until children from Ondo State are attended to before they can be immunised.

"It is even more worrisome that the health workers have been on strike for eight weeks now and the end appears not in sight to the strike action.

"Because of the strike, our children now risk polio infection, which was eradicated completely from the State when we were in government.

"I therefore which to beg the government to save our children and attend to the needs of the health workers so that they can return to work," Oni said.

While also kicking against the plan by some workers in the Univeristy Teaching Hospital (UTH), Ado-Ekiti to go on strike, Oni said; "We had an agreement with the UTH workers that on no account should they go on strike. That's why they are being paid the same salaries that health workers in federal government teaching hospitals are being paid. It will therefore negate the spirit of the agreement, which I believe still subsists for them to go on strike."