Following the inability of the Osun State government to pay civil servants in the state salaries for over seven months, the condition of HIV/AIDs victims in the state has worsened.
A non-governmental organisation, Hope for Family Development Initiative, made this revelation at a press conference in the state on Monday.
The Executive Director of HFDI, Mr. Stephen Aremu, who made this disclosure, said the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by workers in the state has prevented people living with the virus from accessing their drugs at government hospitals.
Aremu noted that the unpaid salaries had led to the untimely death of many residents, saying some sick pensioners and workers had died because they did not have money to buy drugs.
He said, “Most of the persons living with HIV are finding it impossible to get their drugs because government hospitals are closed due to the strike embarked upon by some categories of health workers.
“Also, the level of poverty in Osun State today is high and no measure is put in place by the state government to prevent the poverty, which has caused many diseases affecting children and even the aged in different parts of the state.
“Also, many lives have been lost as a result of the present economic hardship in the state. It is on record that over 238 pensioners have died in Osun State in the last one year as a result of the non-payment of their pension and other allowances.
“It is on record that the death rate in the state has increased geometrically, and this is caused by the present prevailing situation in the state. A lot of people died of hunger while many died of minor curable sicknesses. The cause of this death centres on lack of money.
“Causes of these deaths are preventable if the victims had sufficient money to cater for their health and personal needs. It is clear that the economic hardship in the state was responsible for the death. This is unfortunate and highly disappointing”.
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