HEALTHCARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A REVIEW OF REBECCA AKINYINKA’S TENURE

By Osuolale Oluwatomilayo

 “The noblest purpose of life is to serve humanity, and the greatest virtue is to be useful to others.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778).

In recent times, the concept of nobility has been overruled. In the realm of politics, particularly in a country plagued by corruption, nobility is a rare and an  endangered specie of virtue, similar to a lone white sheep amidst a pack of wolves. 

Ever since the introduction of democracy, the legislative, executive and judiciary bodies have been put in the position for effective ruling of the entire system. As the nation is being ruled, the societies that make up this nation possess different leaders who are of different calibers. Queen Elizabeth II hall as a unit of the university has its executive board ensuring the proper running of the hall.

 In a bid to secure power, promises are made, words are thrown to the people who dare to catch. Upholding these promises is the most important factor that judges the quality of the candidate and this candidate in question, Akinyinka Rebecca, did not fall short of making large promises. 

It is no new thing to hear promises that end up unfulfilled, it has been witnessed year after year. A manifesto, a public declaration of policy and aims, often turn out to be a scribble of meaningless, unfeasible promises. 

Miss Akinyinka, a 400 level student of the faculty of nursing with quite a remarkable reputation, put her knowledge of nursing  into her run for office and despite whatever was thrown her way, she managed to show an extreme level of absolute commitment to her declarations and aims. 

This piece aims to scrutinize the promises made and their fulfillment, which extend far beyond her constitutional obligations.

 According to the Queen Elizabeth II hall constitution, the health minister shall; 

 Be responsible for the maintenance of acceptable standards of hygiene in the Hall via the toilets, water tanks and the environment in general. 

Ensure that cooking is done within acceptable hygienic standards. 

Be responsible for the general First Aid Box in the Hall and ensure that there is constant drug supply. 

In addition to the aforementioned duties, she presented the following plans: 

 AQUA PROJECT

In her manifesto, she promised to ensure the washing of tanks at least once a semester with the aid of both the student union body and health minister of Nnamdi Azikwe hall. On this, Miss Akinyinka clarified that,

"The tank washing was done twice in the session. First one in the first semester and the other one in the second semester.”

Subsequent to this, she spoke on the purification of one or two tanks for drinking. She said

 “I will reach out to sponsors, organizations and high profile people who can assist in the construction of a water filter tank which will be germ free and safe for drinking. Although this is not a contingent plan yet, I will put in my best to actualize this.”  

She did achieve this plan. It looked almost unachievable as at the time of declaration but she cleared all doubts. The Dean of Students, Professor. Adekeye Abiona and the hall warden, Dr Abiola Omokhabi were present for the formal launching of the tank situated at B block. 

This initiative has benefited residents in two significant ways: by providing access to clean drinking water and by reducing their daily expenses, thereby saving them the cost of purchasing sachet water. 

WAR AGAINST BED BUGS 

As bedbugs have become the other tenants in the hall affecting vital places including the reading rooms thereby making it difficult to read at a stretch without feeling the nasty after itch of their visitation. Miss Akinyinka, in her promises, promised to ensure regular visitation to these affected areas while in partnership with the erstwhile student union president, Aweda Bolaji, and other professional pest control companies to help in the fumigation of the affected places, the chairs and every hidden areas in the reading room. 

This, like her aforementioned promises, was fulfilled to a great degree. Queenites reported that they had seen messages on the group concerning fumigation and to avoid visiting the reading rooms until the fumes wear out. This was done quite a number of times in the session. Miss Akinyinka herself was seen on various occasions asking people about the state of the rooms and if they had noticed any bed bugs. In support of this plan, she ensured to share timely graphics educating people on the ways to identify the bug infestation. 

Miss Akinyinka explained that the hall management was responsible for the fumigation of the hall except on one occasion where she had to do so herself because of the sudden report of beg bug infection.

In her words, she said “I ensured that the fumigation was done as necessary to the best of my knowledge.” 

RECRUITING HEALTH COMMITTEE MEMBERS 

 “I envision strong health committee members all across the blocks in Queen Elizabeth II hall. If elected, I would ensure that there are delegates from each block; Two Health committee members would be chosen from each block. These representatives will oversee and attend to the needs of Queenites in their respective blocks to ensure universal coverage.” 

 Miss Akinyinka, so dedicated to the fulfillment of her promises, delivered this promise. Members were chosen and trained in partnership with the university’s Red Cross for exposure to necessary health promotion skills. This training took place during the first semester of the academic session. The effect of the health committee members was quite a remarkable one as queenites had a representative to reach out to in time of need. 

 Her committee comprised students from diverse faculties, and she made a conscious effort to engage nursing students from the hall in the committee's activities.

AWARENESS AND EDUCATION 

In her commitment to awareness and education, she pledged to organize seminars and webinars, featuring diverse health professionals, to educate Queenites on crucial health topics, including mental health, hygiene practices, oral health, urinary tract infections, cervical cancer, and prenatal care. 

These initiatives aim to empower Queenites with essential knowledge for their current and future well-being. These webinars were conducted four times throughout the session, specifically on August 25, 2024, November 9, 2024, January 26, 2025 and February 15, 2025.

 Building on her commitment to health awareness, Miss Akinyinka collaborated with Charisgate Health Initiative, a non-governmental organization, to provide medical testing services during the Hall Week Health Day. These services included HIV, Hepatitis B, and Malaria testing. This initiative was successfully executed, earning positive feedback from many residents. 

 A Queenite, Beatrice, praised Miss Akinyinka's efforts, saying: 

“Becca has been very active. She's definitely my favorite executive, and I was really impressed with how well she performed.” 

 It is a thing of great integrity when promises are kept and commitments fulfilled. According to the World Health Organization, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. The overall health and well-being of Queen Elizabeth II Hall were in capable hands under Miss Akinyinka's leadership. Despite initial sanitation challenges in some areas, she worked diligently to address these issues and maintain a healthy environment. 

Her initiatives included distributing informative fliers, sharing health news, and mobilizing floor representatives to promote health awareness. Miss Akinyinka not only fulfilled her promises but also exceeded expectations. Her dedication has established a strong foundation for future health initiatives. As the hall looks to the future, there is anticipation that her legacy will continue to drive further improvements, exceeding the expectations of the community.