Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke
By Oluniyi Isamotu
From the inception of the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke in Osun, the sixth Executive Governor of the state have shown strong interest in provision of quality basic healthcare services for the good people of the state.
After his swearing-in on November 27, 2022, Governor Adeleke take the bold step of an action Governor who knows the enormous work at hand by visiting several facilities of the government sectors for an on-the-spot assessment and needs assessment, and one of those government facilities visited is a primary healthcare centre in Osogbo, the state capital.
The deteriorating level and dilapidated structure the Governor saw on that day made him to understand the level of rot the state health sector is, at the time.
Bearing in mind the five point thematic agenda of his government, Governor Adeleke understood the essence of a quality basic healthcare service for the good people of the state.
A Governor like Ademola Adeleke who’s popularly known for putting the welfarism of his people in the first-line charge of his government should never be found wanting in the provision of quality healthcare services for the people of the state and this inform the reason why the government created a diverse layer of addressing the rot noticed in the health sector of the state.
Aside from creating a quick short term approach in addressing this rot through a medical outreach tagged “Imole Free Medical Outreach” which has catered for over 50,000 residents and indigent of the state, one of the major efforts in overhauling and revamping the Health Sector of the state from the rot noted is the action plan of the Governor to rehabilitate and upgrade the 332 focal primary healthcare centres in the state.
It is the belief of Asiwaju of Edeland that if the healthcare centres in the local areas and rural areas are well taken of and upgraded to a standard level, the workload on the secondary health facilities, comprehensive and tertiary health institutions in the state will reduce drastically as residents or indigent of the state would have gotten a proper healthcare service from those centres and not bother increased the burden on other health facilities of the state.
As a Governor that believes in grassroot development, Governor Ademola Adeleke also see the rehabilitation of the primary healthcare centres as a matter of necessity that will generate a direct impact on the people of the state of his effort in the health sector. This inform the reason why the Governor mandated the Osun Primary Healthcare Renovation Committee led by its project coordinator and Special Adviser on Public Health, Dr Akindele Adekunle to see the need for a full-fledged rehabilitation and upgrades of all the focal health centres in the 332 wards of the state.
With the Governor’s applaudable approach to primary healthcare system as a critical and pivotal to the overall success of the healthcare system in any state as it is the most accessible and first-line medical facility to the people, the Osun Primary Healthcare Renovation Project committee set out for an on-the-spot assessment and facilities inspection to all the focal primary healthcare centres in the state for need assessment. The situation witnessed can never be addressed as a situation where a previous administration in the state had claimed it spent a huge resources of the state on those centres.
A claim by a previous administration in the state that it has spent state resources on those centres were found as a ruse and more of cosmetics as those centres were suffering from serious infrastructural degradation, no wonder a publication in December 11, 2021 in an online digital medium SAHARA REPORTERS with a screaming headline stated that, “Osun Primary Health Centres In Shambles Despite $20.5 Million Revitalisation Grants”
In the report, a staff of one of the health centres allegedly renovated by that administration said, “The government only did a shady job when they came to renovate the health centre in 2020. We have long been cut off from the grid and the government’s promise to ensure that we have electricity was not fulfilled. We use kerosene lamp during late night child labour,” an official who pleaded anonymity for fear of backlash said.
Speaking further in the report, another staff said, “Except repainting and changing of the hospital’s roof, nothing significant was done here. We thought the government had finally yielded to our pleas of renovating the decrepit hospital but we are surprised what we got afterwards. No water and other things to make the health centre serve the people better,” she said.
While the renovation committe was on the field inspection and needs assessment, it was discovered that there are instances where a primary healthcare centre is sharing same toilet or dispensary with the residential area or members of the community it is sited. There are primary healthcare centres where reptiles and rodents also have their space within the labour ward of the centre. There are instances where staff of some centres had to contribute money before they may get water for their usage at their maternity centers. Lack of power supply was a constant trend within all the centres and this mitigate against health workers working at night in most of the centres even when the community where the centre is located are in need of 24-hour medical services at those centers.
Bearing in mind all these challenges, the renovation of these health centres begins in earnest and in phases.
Achieving the set goal of the Governor on the Revitalisation of the primary healthcare centres was not a tea-party. It was tough navigating the different terrain of the state on a daily basis. But despite the daily challenges, the drive of the Project Coordinator and Special Adviser on Public Health to the Governor, Dr Akindele Adekunle and the joy in contributing their quota to the advancement, progress of Osun State and the Imole administration was the inspiration that kept the project committee and other support team members going in achieving the targeted mandate of the Governor on the rehabilitation and upgrades of the primary healthcare system in the state.
The current intervention of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration in the primary healthcare system in the state is being measured to meet up with the standard of W.H.O and that’s the more reason why these centres are being ensure to be run on 24hrs Water and power supply through alternative means of power (solar energy) and equally provision of drugs with support of the Osun Primary Healthcare Board.
The benefits of the ongoing intervention in the primary healthcare centres is that, the attitude to work of the medical staff manning these health centres has swiftly changed. With the new lease of life being giving these centres, the punctuality of workers is now applaudable as they work with convenience and comfortability at their workplace now.
The intervention has now granted new quality basic healthcare service to the people in the grassroot as what they see as a privilege medical service before, as now become a norm.
By the time the intervention of Governor Adeleke in the primary healthcare system is completed, the rate of maternal mortality and malaria or other health issues would have reduced drastically within the health index of the state.
For the record, the following centres have seen the quality intervention of Governor Ademola Adeleke administration which are; ●Asunmo PHC, Sagba PHC, Olusokun PHC, Oke-Gada PHC, Aipola PHC, Apaso PHC, Oja-Timi PHC, Owode-Ede PHC (EDE-NORTH LG)
●Ede South LG; Jagunjagun PHC, Babasanya PHC, Ededimeji PHC, Olodan PHC, Kuye PHC, Alajue PHC, Loogun-Egbeda PHC, Sekona PHC
●EGBEDORE LG; Olorunsogo PHC, Ido Osun MPHC, Alasan PHC, Ara 1, Ojo PHC, Awo PHC, Iragberi PHC, Iwoye PHC, Ikotun PHC
●Ejigbo LGA; Ilawo PHC, Ayegbogbo PHC, Oke Ipadi MPHC, Isale Isolo PHC, Popo PHC
●IWO LG; Mosinola PHC, Isale-Oba PHC, Moseru PHC, Yidi Oba PHC, Alaye PHC, Feesu PHC, Ogburo MPHC
●Aiyedire LG; Popo PHC, Oluponna, Olori PHC, Ilaji Parapo, Idi-Ogun PHC, Ileogbo, Ayitedo PHC, Ileogbo, Omisore PHC, Oluponna, Amobi PHC, Kuta, Isale-Oba PHC, Kuta
●Olaoluwa LG; Bode-Osi PHC, Asa MDG PHC, Algon PHC, Ikire-Ile, Telemu PHC, Ogbaagba PHC
●Ife-North LG; Edunabon 1 MPHC, Yakooyo PHC, Oyere-Aborishade PHC
Onibambu PHC, Oyere 1, Akinlaalu PHC, Okooko PHC, Ipetumodu, Edunabon 2 PHC
●Ife East LG; Odo Iwara PHC, Iloro PHC, Okerewe 1, Omitoto PHC, Ilode 2, Ifelodun PHC, Yekemi PHC
●Ife South; Odesan PHC, Oke-Owena, Fayemi Ikija PHC, Ifetedo, Oke Amona PHC, Ifetedo, Garage Olode PHC, Onigbodogi PHC
●Area Office (Modakeke); Itaasin PHC, Adeowo PHC.
●Ife Central LG; Eleyele PHC, Sabo Olaolu PHC, Igboya PHC, Oja Tuntun PHC, Akarabata PHC, Enuwa PHC, Abagbooro PHC
●Atakunmosa West; Asawo PHC, Iyere PHC, Itagunmodi PHC, Ipoye PHC, Ifewara PHC, Inisa/Isaobi PHC, Oke-Oja PHC, Osu
●Atakunmosa East; Amuye-Faforiji PHC, Igangan PHC, Itaapa PHC, Iperindo PHC, Iwara PHC
●Obokun LG; Ajedan PHC, Imesi-Ile, Ilare PHC, Ilase PHC, Esa-Oke PHC, Ibokun PHC
●Oriade LG; Erin-Ijesha PHC, Erin-Oke PHC, Ira-Ikeji PHC, Ere-Ijesha PHC, Ikeji-Ile PHC, Iloko PHC, Ipetu-Ijesha PHC, Obalende PHC
●Ilesa East; Okesa PHC, Ilemo PHC, Anaye PHC Ido Ijesha PHC, Oke Iro PHC, Oke Ooye PHC, Imo PHC, Ijamo PHC
●Ilesa West; Igbogi PHC, Orinkiran PHC, Idasa PHC, Ilaje PHC, Adeti PHC, Ikoti PHC, Ereja PHC, Oke-Iyin PHC
●Irewole LG; Omoda PHC, Moringbere PHC, Fidiwo MPHC, Ayedaade 2, Waasimi PHC, Ayedaade PHC, Atile PHC, Odeyinka MPHC
●Isokan LG; Oranran PHC, Ikoyi, Oke Alfa PHC, Apomu, Awala PHC, Total PHC, Ikoyi PHC
●Ayedaade LG; Wakajaye Town PHC, Wakajaye Junction PHC, Ijugbe, Oja Ale PHC, Ode-omu, Ile-Idi Asa PHC, Ode-omu, Akiriboto II PHC, Oke Odo MPHC, Orile-Owu, Oke-Elu PHC, Gbongan
●Osogbo LG; Ajenisuwa PHC, Oke-Osun, Olugunna PHC, Iludun PHC, Alekuwodo PHC, Oke Baale PHC, Mubaraka PHC, Isale-Agbara PHC, Akede-Iyaloja PHC
●Olorunda LG; Oba Oke PHC, Oba Ile PHC, Atelewo PHC, Olude PHC, Kelebe PHC, Biiro Fagbemi PHC, Atiba PHC
●Orolu LGA; Bolounduro PHC, Ologele Ooye PHC, Asade PHC, Owoka Araromi PHC, Olufon PHC
●Irepodun LGA; Olobu PHC, Oke Eran PHC, Ilobu, Aromiwe PHC, Anwo PHC, Eyingbo PHC
●ODO-OTIN LG; Igbaye PHC, Ekosin PHC, Agbeye PHC, Okuku 2 PHC, Oyan 1 PHC, Inisha PHC, Okuku PHC, Asaba PHC
●Ifedayo LGA; Temidire PHC, Ora MDG Akesin PHC, Ora, Oteu Village PHC, Oyi-Ayegunle PHC, Oke-Ila PHC, Oke Osun PHC, ORA PHC, Alagbede PHC.
●Ila LG; Ita Sapon PHC, Oke Ede PHC, Stadium PHC, Isedo, Dagbolu PHC, Iperin, Igbonnibi PHC, Adebisi Jaiyeola PHC, Adekunle PHC
●Boluwaduro LGA; Omi Eran PHC, Otan-Ayegbaju, Oke Omi PHC, Otan-Ayegbaju, Iresi PHC, Eripa PHC
●Ifelodun LGA; Ponjo PHC, Ikirun, Oke Amola PHC, Ikirun, Oke Afo PHC, Ikirun, Dagbolu PHC, Obaagun PHC, Eko-Ende PHC, Olonde PHC, Ikirun, and IBA PHC
●Boripe LGA; Araromi PHC, Iragbiji, Olokere PHC, Ada, Oja Oba PHC, Iragbiji, Aagba PHC, ORORUWO PHC
●Oluniyi Isamotu “MC-MALAGA” is the Media Directorate, Office of the Project Coordinator, Osun Primary Healthcare Renovation Project Committee and can be reached via mcmalaga50@gmail.com
