••• “I Donate My Blood to Save Patients” — CMD on Idanre Hospital Crisis
••• Hospital Ambulance was Donated by former Governor Agagu
The Chief Medical Director of General Hospital, Idanre, Dr Olufemi Odekunle, has broken his silence over allegations of fraud, overbilling, negligence and abandoned projects levelled against his administration, describing the claims as malicious, misleading and calculated attempts by some members of the Idanre community to frustrate his leadership and destabilise the already overstretched health facility.
Dr Odekunle made this known in an exclusive interview with Roving Reporters while reacting to a petition filed by a faction of the Idanre Community Health Committee, which accused the hospital management of converting the public hospital into a profit-driven enterprise, imposing exorbitant charges on patients and abandoning critical infrastructure projects.
In a detailed response, the CMD flatly rejected the allegations, insisting that the hospital operates strictly under government guidelines and within the supervision of the Ondo State Hospital Management Board (HMB), noting that all charges are based on an approved billing structure and not arbitrarily imposed.
“Every naira generated here is accounted for. We render monthly income and expenditure reports to the Hospital Management Board and the Auditor-General. There is no misappropriation in this hospital,” he stated.
Addressing claims that a patient was charged ₦300,000 for surgery, Dr Odekunle described the allegation as false, clarifying that the highest surgical fee in the hospital is ₦250,000, while Caesarean Section procedures cost as low as ₦172,000, figures he said are significantly lower than those obtainable in private hospitals where similar procedures attract between ₦750,000 and ₦1.5 million.
He explained that the hospital survives solely on internally generated revenue (IGR), as the state government does not provide routine operational funding for drugs, consumables, salaries of casual staff, fuel for generators, security, cleaning and general maintenance.
According to him, the hospital’s monthly revenue rose from about ₦3 million before his tenure to nearly ₦7 million, but rising inflation, soaring cost of medical supplies and dwindling manpower have continued to stretch the facility beyond capacity.
He revealed that the number of doctors has dropped from thirteen to seven, placing enormous pressure on available personnel and reducing the hospital’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies.
Dr Odekunle disclosed that despite these challenges, his administration increased the salaries of casual staff from ₦15,000 to ₦30,000 in a bid to boost morale and ensure improved service delivery.
“My priority has always been staff welfare and patient care. A motivated workforce delivers better healthcare, yet instead of support, we are being frustrated by people who do not understand the realities on ground,” he said.
Painting a grim picture of the hospital’s condition, the CMD revealed that in several emergency cases where blood was urgently needed and no donor was available, he and some senior staff had personally volunteered their own blood to save patients’ lives.
“There have been situations where patients were dying and no blood was available. I have personally donated my blood for patients here. That is how critical the situation is. This hospital survives on sacrifice, not support,” he said.
He further stated that some of the projects described as abandoned were initiated through donor agencies and special intervention funds such as the Decentralised Facility Financing (DFF) scheme, which have since been discontinued, stressing that there is no special government funding for capital projects in the hospital.
“Government does not pump money into this hospital. What we use to run this place is what we generate internally,” he said.
Dr Odekunle accused certain individuals of acting independently and not representing the recognised leadership or umbrella bodies of the Idanre community, stressing that the petition does not reflect the position of the wider community.
“These people do not engage us. They sit outside and write petitions and defamatory publications without verifying facts or understanding the system,” he stated.
He noted that similar campaigns of blackmail had been directed at previous CMDs and revealed that he is considering legal action against those spreading false and damaging information.
The CMD further disclosed that he had previously attempted to resign due to sustained pressure and emotional strain but was retained by the Hospital Management Board based on his performance and the relative stability recorded under his leadership.
“I sleep in this hospital, respond to weekend emergencies and sacrifice my personal comfort. Despite all this, they keep frustrating me. I am being pushed to the wall,” he lamented.
He stressed that the hospital does not receive free drugs or consumables from the government, adding that all supplies are procured through approved government channels using internally generated revenue.
Dr Odekunle called on the Ondo State Government to urgently intervene by providing direct operational funding, infrastructural upgrade and additional manpower to prevent total collapse of healthcare delivery in Idanre.
“If there is any wrongdoing, let the government set up an investigative panel. Our records are open. We have nothing to hide,” he said.
He urged the public to disregard what he described as politically motivated and unverified propaganda, warning that sustained misinformation could further weaken healthcare delivery and erode public confidence in the hospital.
He concluded that the hospital cannot continue to survive on sacrifice and goodwill alone, stressing that sustainable healthcare requires deliberate government investment, truthful engagement and community support.
