PHCs in Ogun are Better Equipped, Affordable

OGUN State health stakeholders have assured residents that Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across all 20 Local Government Areas are better equipped, modernised, and affordable, saying PHCs bring services closer to communities.

Addressing market men and women in Osiele Market, Odeda Local Government Area, on Wednesday, officials emphasised that the ongoing revitalisation of grassroots facilities, backed by new upgrades and health insurance schemes, aims to deliver universal healthcare without financial strain.

While educating traders and buyers about the benefits of primary healthcare (PHC) services, particularly immunisation and maternal care, the campaigners assured them that trained medical personnel and midwives had been deployed to Osiele Health Centre to ensure effective service delivery. They further advised residents against bypassing the facility in favour of major state hospitals.

With the PHCs described as cornerstone of the health sector and 90 per cent of health issues being handled across 236 wards in the state, the audience was told to visit the centres for affordable services, including reproductive health issues.

The Ogun State Youth Leader of Ward Development Committee (WDC), Ayoleke Oke, informed the gathering that the sensitisation campaign was meant to acquaint them with feats recorded by PHCs, saying with less than N20,000, pregnant women could have a safe delivery.

Oke said, “Members of WDC in Ogun State are here today to create more awareness on why the PHCs are built, and to encourage the use of the health facilities here by the people.

“We want everyone to know that the government is doing all it can to provide necessary equipment needed for the benefit of the people. Anytime anyone has health complaints, the nurses, the OIC (Officer-in-Charge) here are capable to attend to them.

He added that health insurance packages had been approved by the government to protect residents from high medical out-of-pocket costs.

He encouraged the people to always patronise the facilities.

Residents, however, lauded the government for making the PHCs available and functional by providing accessible, friendly, and dedicated community healthcare services.

“I can authoritatively say that this health centre is very good. The medical personnel are caring. They respond to us promptly. They have given us flyers and I am going to spread the message, even,” one of the traders in Osiele Market, Basirat Osanyipeju, said.

On his part, a representative of religious leaders in the community, Oluwaseun Aremu, a pastor, described the healthcare centre as a place of healing, emphasising that it could comfortably attend to considerable number of health issues affecting the people in the area.

“Hospitals are places of salvation and healing of the people. Therefore, our hope is that this centre becomes expanded to a full-fledged mega hospital which would afford all residents quality health delivery.

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“It is our desire that sons and daughters of this community will see this place as a place they can get adequate care, and their health needs met. The promoters are saving lives, advancing healthier communities, and stronger systems. If you ask me, the road may look tough, but with teamwork and cooperation of everyone, the people will enjoy more,” the cleric stated.

While the sensitisation train moved into Osiele Market and on the streets with a megaphone, the Chairman of the PHC,  Aina Sunday, asked residents to take advantage of the facility, which according to him, also focused on reducing preventable maternal deaths and improving family planning access.

“Our plan and mission is to propagate this centre for enlargement while advising the people to patronise it to get prompt medical attention. We want the pregnant women to come here, register for antenatal and give birth.

“The centre has capable hands and facilities to take care of the people,” Aina added.

The sensitisation campaign, organised by the Ogun State Council of Ward Development Committee, with the support of Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Ijebu-Ode, was in collaboration with the Ogun State Primary Healthcare Development Board.

Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He’s a good governance and decent society advocate. He’s The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation’s News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org