TheCable

The Oyo state government says it is standing by its position that it supported the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, with N118 million in the fight against COVID-19.

Taiwo Adisa, chief press secretary to the governor, gave a breakdown of the figure in a statement issued on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Akinola Ojo, the commissioner for finance, had said the state government spent the said sum to support UCH, but the management of the hospital denied receiving such amount.

Toye Akinrinlola, UCH public relations officer, on Wednesday, said apart from 250 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE), the hospital did not receive any money from the state government.

However, the chief press secretary provided details of the funds, stating that records made available by the commissioner for finance confirmed that it was “expended in meeting the varied needs of the Department of Virology, College of Medicine and the University College Hospital”.

“The state government is of the view that attempts to create thin lines between the Department of Virology, College of Medicine, which provides Clinical Services to the UCH and operates from the same premises as the Hospital, amount to being clever by half, because in practical terms, the divorce cannot just hold,” Adisa said.

“Staffers of the Department hold identity cards of the UCH and that of the University of Ibadan, even as the Department remains the only one that undertakes Virology-related assignments for the UCH.

“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state provided medical supplies to the UCH, including 500 each of googles, protective gowns and face shields; 250 each of full protective, head covers & shoe covers; 200 hand gloves to UCH, amounting to N2 million.

“The state government has also provided a revolving fund to the tune of N5 million to the UCH for treatment of residents of Oyo State who tested positive to COVID-19. The amount is being topped each time the hospital spends up to N4 million on the patients.

“Besides, the Commissioner revealed that based on a shopping list specifically prepared and presented to the state government by the Chief Medical Director of the UCH, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, the state government has procured medical supplies to the tune of N25 million for delivery to the Hospital.

“That the supplier is just about to deliver the said items is an evidence of the protocols related to movement schedules of all items within the environment of a global pandemic.

“These supplies included goggles, PPE gowns, boots and so on [and] in all, the total amount spent in directly supporting the UCH (based on the artificial distinction) so far stood at N32 million, while the balance of N86 million constituted what has been spent to support the Department of Virology, which is the direct partner with the state on the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Some of the supports provided to the Virology Department, which also handles the Clinical Services of the UCH, includes purchase of PPEs, SARSCoV-2 testing kits, extraction kits for COVID-19, wet lease of the testing machine for COVID-19, medical supplies and consumables as well as payment of allowances for the staff of the Virology Department.

“In order to clarify the referenced N118 million support, it is important to first of all state that we were made aware of a distinction between the University College Hospital (UCH) and the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

“Oyo State Government has provided support to both institutions during this COVID-19 pandemic.”