By Akinnodi Francis, Ondo

The Family Medicine Department of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Ondo, has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering comprehensive and inclusive healthcare to individuals and families, regardless of age, financial status, or health condition.

The Head of the Department, Dr. (Mrs.) Titilayo Alege, disclosed this during an interview with journalists in Ondo, where she highlighted various ongoing efforts to support patients, particularly those unable to afford basic medical care.

Dr. Alege revealed that the department, in collaboration with the hospital’s Social Support Services through the Department of Social Work, had introduced means testing to identify indigent patients and ensure they receive needed care. 

She noted that the initiative has made it easier to prioritise support for financially disadvantaged patients.

She further disclosed that the department is working closely with the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission to ensure more residents, especially low-income earners, have access to affordable healthcare through the state’s insurance platform.

Sharing recent examples, Dr. Alege cited the case of Miss Kayode Kehinde, a woman under the age of 30, who was registered under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund with ID OND/ONW/DE/09/04/98. Kehinde presented with generalised body weakness, and was found to be pale with a blood pressure reading of 140/100 mmHg. She was promptly treated under the scheme.

In another instance, a 29-year-old smoked corn vendor, Mrs. Chiamaka Ebuchi, registered with ID OND/ONW/F/KA/JI/15/08/90, was diagnosed with Hepatitis B. The department was able to provide timely treatment, despite her financial limitations, preventing the potential progression of the disease to liver cancer.

Dr. Alege said such cases reflect the department’s commitment to removing financial barriers that prevent people from accessing life-saving medical care.

She also pointed to the department’s growing home-based care service for elderly patients, designed to overcome common access challenges such as distance, transportation difficulties, and cultural barriers that discourage hospital visits.

“We are already looking at expanding this initiative in partnership with relevant state health agencies, so more people can benefit from home-based medical support,” she said.

On his part, the Acting Chief Medical Director of UNIMEDTH, Dr. Michael Gbala, commended the Family Medicine Department for its proactive and people-centred approach to healthcare delivery. He praised the department’s contributions to the state’s pursuit of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), especially for vulnerable groups such as the rural poor and indigent patients.

Gbala described the department’s work as a practical demonstration of primary healthcare excellence and urged the team to remain focused on its goal of providing quality and affordable healthcare to all.