A cleric, Rev. Dr David B. Kayode, and a concerned parent, Mrs Clarissa Z. Arokodare, have called on the Ekiti State Government to urgently rehabilitate the Ekiti State Specialist Hospital, Ijero-Ekiti, over alleged poor infrastructure, inadequate medical personnel and lack of running water.

The duo raised the concern after separate visits to the facility, citing deteriorating toilet facilities, lack of a functional ambulance and inadequate medical equipment as major challenges affecting healthcare delivery.

Kayode, an Ekiti State Peace Ambassador, also questioned the utilisation of hospital beds donated by the Ijero Development Association and medical equipment reportedly donated by Dr Tope Olowoyo for the female ward, alleging that the items had been kept in storage rather than put to use.

Similarly, Arokodare, who said she had visited the hospital more than 10 times with her daughter for malaria treatment, described the sanitation situation as troubling.

She alleged that the absence of running water had made proper hygiene difficult, while patients’ relatives were sometimes required to provide cleaning materials, including soap and bleach, to maintain the wards.

Despite the challenges, she commended the hospital’s medical, nursing and administrative staff for their friendliness and commitment to duty.

The two observers urged Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration to provide essential facilities, restore water supply, recruit adequate personnel and ensure the availability of a functional ambulance.

They also called for an investigation into the management and utilisation of donated medical equipment, while appealing to well-meaning indigenes of Ijero-Ekiti, including those in the diaspora, to support efforts to restore the hospital.

They stressed that urgent intervention was necessary to improve healthcare services and protect residents of Ijero-Ekiti and neighbouring communities.