Health
How Revitalised PHC Is Giving Mothers, Children Healthier Future In Oyo Community
By Oluwafunke Ishola, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
By the time Mrs Waliyat Ajiboye arrived at Ayekale Primary Health Centre (PHC) with her newborn baby, she had barely slept.
The young mother had given birth just a day earlier.
Yet, cradling her child in her arms, she made her way to the clinic to ensure the baby received the crucial birth-dose vaccines that would mark the beginning of a lifelong protection against preventable diseases.
For her, it was not merely a hospital visit. It was an investment in her child’s future.
“I gave birth yesterday and came today for newborn immunisation.
“I attended the antenatal clinic here throughout my pregnancy. The registration and delivery were free, and that was a huge relief for my family,” she said with a smile.
Her story mirrors the growing confidence that residents of Ayekale community have developed in the facility since it underwent a major revitalisation as part of Oyo State’s broader drive to strengthen primary healthcare delivery.
From Neglect to Renewal
Today, the Ayekale PHC is a busy centre where pregnant women gather for antenatal care, children receive routine immunisation, and residents access basic healthcare services close to home.
Just a few years ago, however, the picture was starkly different. Constructed in 2004, the facility gradually fell into disrepair.
According to the facility’s matron, Mrs Noimat Salawu, the deteriorating condition discouraged many residents from seeking care there.
“The PHC was in a bad state before it was upgraded in 2023. Many people were reluctant to come because the environment and infrastructure were poor,” she recalled.
The transformation came through ongoing efforts to revitalise primary healthcare facilities across Oyo State.
Fresh paint, improved infrastructure, enhanced service delivery and better healthcare equipment have breathed new life into the centre. More importantly, the upgrade has restored public trust.
For mothers like Mrs Temitayo Adegboye, the difference is evident.
She gave birth to her first child, now three years old, at the facility and returned for antenatal care and immunisation services for her second child, a one-year-three-month-old boy.
“The nurses are friendly and empathetic. During antenatal clinic sessions, they taught us about healthy meals, hygiene practices and how to care for ourselves during pregnancy,” she said.
Beyond medical consultations, Adegboye said the facility previously offered free nutritious meals to pregnant women attending antenatal clinics.
“We used to receive free meals such as rice, beans, vegetables, eggs and moi-moi. They taught us how to prepare these foods at home too. It encouraged many women to attend clinics regularly,” she explained.
The programme has since stopped, a development she hopes government authorities will revisit.
“I plead with the government to revive the free meals because they motivated many pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics.”
Immunisation: A Mother’s Promise
Across the facility’s immunisation unit, mothers patiently wait their turn, babies securely on their hands.
For many of them, immunisation is more than a health intervention; it is an act of love and responsibility.
Adegboye understands this deeply, saying, “I stick to immunisation because it protects children from all sorts of diseases.”
Yet, she believes there is room for improvement in the state and country’s immunisation programme.
With the demands of motherhood, work and family responsibilities competing for attention, Adegboye suggested that a simple reminder system could significantly improve vaccine completion rates.
“The government should create a channel of communication, such as reminder SMS messages, to prompt mothers about the next vaccination date.
“There’s so much going on in our minds. Those reminders would help mothers keep appointments and ensure children complete their vaccine schedule from birth to adulthood.”
According to her, such a system would benefit not only individual families but entire communities.
“It would help build a stronger and healthier society.”
She also advocates stronger awareness campaigns, particularly targeting first-time mothers and women who deliver outside formal health facilities.
“Some people don’t know about birth-dose immunisation, especially women who give birth at home or in traditional maternity centres.
“The government should engage local midwives so they can encourage mothers to visit PHCs immediately after delivery,” she suggested.
Nearby, Mrs Sherifat Rufai gently soothed her youngest child after receiving a vaccine.
A trader and mother of four, she has never missed an immunisation appointment for any of her children.
“My last child is one year and three months old, and I want him to complete all his vaccinations because immunisation makes children healthy,” she said.
Looking at her older children, she sees proof of its benefits, saying, “I did the same for his siblings. Seeing how healthy they are encouraged me to continue.”
She acknowledged that some parents hesitate because of temporary side effects.
“Some mothers complain that children cry or become feverish after vaccination, but those reactions don’t last long. The protection they receive is worth it.
“I’m happy with the centre because vaccines and medicines are always available whenever we come there.”
Childhood immunisation in Nigeria is a free public health service aimed at protecting children from deadly vaccine-preventable diseases, though national full-vaccination coverage sits below 40 per cent with significant regional disparities.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) provides these life-saving vaccines at primary health care centres nationwide.
Sub-national data reveal that full vaccination coverage in Oyo state fluctuates between 22 per cent and 34 per cent depending on the local government area (LGA).
“A major effort is underway to reach children who have never received a single vaccine, strengthen routine immunisation, and protect our children from diseases that threaten their future,” said Dr Muideen Olatunji, Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board.
Bringing Healthcare Closer to the People
The revitalisation of Ayekale PHC has not only improved health outcomes; it has dramatically improved access.
Mr Hammed Arogundade, a trader and member of the Ward Development Committee (WDC), remembers the difficult days before the upgrade.
“Before the revitalisation, residents had to travel to the next functional hospital, which is about 30 minutes away,” he said.
For emergencies, pregnant women in labour, sick children and elderly residents, those extra minutes often mattered.
“The upgrade has enabled residents to access prompt medical treatment whenever they need it,” he added.
The Ward Development Committee continues to play an active role in monitoring activities at the facility to ensure standards are maintained and services remain responsive to community needs.
Their involvement reflects one of the key principles behind successful primary healthcare systems: community ownership.
Taking Vaccines Beyond Hospital Walls
Even with the facility’s improvements, healthcare workers understand that some families still face barriers to accessing services.
To bridge that gap, Ayekale PHC conducts outreach activities twice every month.
“We go into communities to sensitise residents and immunise children in schools, markets, worship centres,” Matron Salawu explained.
She disclosed that the facility also operates a functional solar-powered vaccine freezer, ensuring vaccines remain potent in spite of challenges with the electricity supply.
These outreach efforts are particularly important in reaching children who might otherwise miss routine immunisation schedules.
Salawu emphasised that the strategy has helped increase awareness and vaccine uptake among hard-to-reach populations.
In spite of the successes, challenges persist, as the matron pointed to infrastructure concerns that require urgent attention.
“The water tank is damaged, and the iron stand supporting it has become rusted and weak. The situation poses a safety risk, particularly when the tank is filled with water,” she said.
Highlighting the large open space within the facility premises as a major concern that needs urgent attention, noting that maintaining it requires constant clearing to prevent overgrown vegetation and preserve hygiene standards.
She believed the land could be better utilised for the construction of an additional ward.
“We need an additional ward. Currently, all admitted patients share a single ward. We use screens to separate male and female patients for privacy.”
Constructing another ward would improve patient comfort, dignity and quality of care, Salawu submitted.
Dr Olatunji explained that the government acknowledged these gaps and is prioritising them within a phased renovation plan, with 163 additional facilities identified for the next stage of upgrades.
A Model of What Primary Healthcare Can Achieve
The story of Ayekale PHC is, in many ways, the story of Oyo State’s wider efforts to revitalise primary healthcare and strengthen routine immunisation.
It demonstrates how investments in community-based health facilities can yield benefits that extend far beyond infrastructure.
In Ayekale, a once-neglected facility has become more than a health centre.
It has become a symbol of hope, proof that when primary healthcare works, entire communities thrive. (NANFeatures)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
***If used, please credit the Writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).***
