Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas
By John Egie
The gaps in access to quality healthcare services to people of Delta South senatorial district will soon be a thing of the past as the Bill, Federal Medical Centre Act (Amendment Bill, 2023 (SB197) seeking the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Oleh, headquarter of Delta South senatorial district has been passed by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The bill which was sponsored by the senator representing Delta South senatorial district, Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas was initially presented on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 ; successfully passed its second reading on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 and was passed yesterday, Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
The bill will now go to the House of Representatives for concurrence before finding its way to the President for ascent.
When the Centre is established in Oleh, people of the senatorial district will no longer need to travel long distances to access special healthcare, which often results in delayed treatment and preventable deaths.
“The Federal Medical Centre in Oleh, Isoko South local government area, will enhance the overall healthcare delivery system and also stimulate socio-economic growth through creation of direct and indirect employment opportunities. It will attract both medical and non medical professionals, foster training and research and improve public health outcomes” Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas said in a statement issued by him.
Delta South senatorial district includes the following local government areas: Bomadi, Burutu, Isoko North, Isoko South, Patani, Warri North, Warri South, Warri South West.
He thanked and appreciated the support of the Senate President, HE, Godswill Obot Akpabio; the Deputy Senate President, HE Sen Jibrin Barau; the Majority Leader, Sen Michael Opeyemi, and other principal members of senate and his distinguished colleagues.
According to him, the FMC at Oleh is a necessary step towards equity and inclusion into the allocation of federal healthcare infrastructure.
“It shows a collective aspiration to ensure that the need of the people of Delta South senatorial district are recognized and addressed at the national level’ he said
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