The Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, on Monday flagged off a statewide free medical outreach in Ekiti State, stressing that governance must produce direct and measurable benefits for citizens, especially in healthcare delivery.
Speaking at the launch in Ado-Ekiti, Bamidele described beneficiaries of the programme as “privileged,” adding that the intervention targets residents in urgent need of medical attention. He pledged to sustain health interventions across the state.
“This initiative reflects a strong partnership between members of the National Assembly and the Ekiti State Government,” Bamidele said. “Development must focus on human capital. We deliberately launched this outreach during a politically active period to show that governance should never pause for campaigns.”
The Senate Leader disclosed that the programme is a joint effort of nine federal lawmakers from Ekiti — senators and members of the House of Representatives — in collaboration with Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji.
The outreach provides free medical screenings, essential drugs, eyeglasses, and treatment. Patients diagnosed with serious conditions will be referred to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, where the state government will take responsibility for their care.
Princess Seye Babatunde, Managing Director of Rovalroche Hathaway Company Limited, described the outreach as both a professional duty and a moral responsibility. “This initiative goes beyond routine healthcare delivery. It is a people-centered effort designed to restore hope, save lives, and bring quality medical services closer to underserved communities,” she said.
Babatunde said the intervention will cover all 16 local government areas of Ekiti State, offering free consultations, diagnostic tests, distribution of essential drugs, eye surgeries, and health education. She noted that the programme is structured to be inclusive and “designed to leave no community behind.”
In a goodwill message, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani commended the collaboration, calling it a model of people-oriented governance. He praised the Oyebanji administration for renovating over 120 primary healthcare centres and expanding free healthcare services for vulnerable groups.
Governor Oyebanji said increased access to healthcare had put pressure on existing facilities, prompting the recruitment of additional medical personnel. He disclosed that the financial burden, estimated at about one billion naira annually, is being supported by members of the National Assembly, underscoring the depth of cooperation driving the initiative.
The governor urged residents to take full advantage of the programme and assured them that the outreach would extend statewide. Senator Bamidele echoed the assurance, describing the flag-off as “only the beginning of a sustained effort to ensure governance delivers real impact in the lives of Ekiti people.”
