The Kwara State Government has ordered the immediate supply of the preferred oxygen cylinder sizes to the Children’s Specialist Hospital, Centre Igboro, Ilorin, following concerns over difficulties with oxygen delivery at the facility.
The directive was issued by the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Abdulraheem Malik, during a routine inspection of the hospital.
The visit was part of the board’s ongoing efforts to monitor service delivery, assess staff performance and identify challenges affecting the operations of government-owned health facilities across the state.
In a statement issued on Friday by the board’s Press Secretary, Adamu Sabi, Malik said the inspection covered patient care, facilities, staff performance and the general condition of the hospital.
The team also inspected ventilation at the Emergency Paediatric Unit, power supply, water reticulation, availability of drugs and consumables, as well as space management within the facility.
Malik said regular monitoring was necessary to identify challenges affecting healthcare delivery and ensure that patients received safe and effective services.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that our hospitals provide safe, effective and patient-centred care. We will continue to monitor our facilities, identify areas requiring improvement and work with the management and staff to address them,” he said.
During the inspection, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr Mosunmola Folorunsho, raised concerns about the supply of oxygen cylinders in different sizes.
She explained that the availability of unsuitable cylinder sizes had created operational difficulties in delivering oxygen to patients who required the essential medical support.
In response, Malik directed the Board’s Engineering and Development Projects Department to ensure that the hospital was supplied with its preferred oxygen cylinder size going forward.
The board said the intervention was aimed at improving efficiency and ensuring timely access to oxygen for patients.
Malik also assured the hospital management that issues identified during the inspection would be reviewed and appropriate steps taken to address them within the board’s capacity.
He commended the management and staff of the hospital for their commitment to providing quality healthcare services to children.
The executive secretary urged the workers to maintain professionalism, discipline and compassion in the discharge of their duties, while emphasising the importance of judicious use of government resources.
Folorunsho, in her response, commended Malik and the Hospitals Management Board for prioritising the welfare of healthcare workers and patients.
She also praised the board for maintaining regular monitoring and oversight of government-owned health facilities across Kwara State.
