Deplorable PHCs: Ogun govt reacts to PREMIUM TIMES’ report

The Ogun State Government has acknowledged the poor state of the primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in the state but also reeled out its interventions to salvage the situation.

PREMIUM TIMES, in a special report published on Friday, detailed the deplorable state of some PHCs, especially in various rural communities in the state.

The report, which covered 14 PHCs across Yewa North, Sagamu, Ifo, and Odeda Local Government Areas of the state, shows that most PHCs are hampered by skill and workforce gaps, poor infrastructure, and a lack of basic amenities.

In reaction to the findings via his official X account, Emmanuel Ojo, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on New Media to Governor Dapo Abiodun of the state, said the government had taken note of the areas covered in the report.

He said due to limited financial resources, the government won’t promise to fix everything within eight years, but “what we’re certain of is to do all that is within our reach to cover more areas, as much as possible and to the best of our ability.”

Though the state’s Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, confirmed that there are 531 registered PHCs in the state, Mr Ojo said Mr Abiodun-led administration has “renovated and equipped” only 42 PHCs, adding that 60 others are ongoing in other communities across the state.

“This leaves at least one rehabilitated PHC in each of the 20 LGAs, and is targeted towards improving access to healthcare, especially at the grassroots,” he wrote in a long response to the report on the social media platform.

Government efforts

The governor’s assistant also listed other interventions in the state’s health sector by the government.

He said: “The Abiodun-led government has renovated State General Hospitals in three locations. These are Idiroko, Ibiade and Odeda. The government has also carried out some construction while also renovating the State General Hospitals in Iberekodo and Ijebu Ife.”

“Renovation has also been carried out at the 120-bed Mother-and-Child Ward at the State General Hospital in Iperu. This is as there is ongoing rehabilitation and upgrade of facilities at the Olabisi Onabanjo Teaching Hospital, OOUTH, Sagamu.”

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Mr Ojo added that in September 2020, the governor approved “the recruitment of medical staff across cadres, including resident doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and others.

He said: “The Governor gave specific instructions to all state-owned hospitals to recruit 20 consultant doctors, to address the existent shortfall at the time.

“Within the period under review, over 310 medical staff have been employed by the state government – from consultants to attendants.”

Mr Ojo added that the government has paid N100 million as a commitment fund into the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, adding that 34 tricycle ambulances have been distributed to the rural PHCs to reduce maternal and infant mortality, which may have increased due to the remote location of the areas.

Findings reveal nothing on ground

Though the governor’s aide failed to list the specific communities that benefited from the ambulances reportedly distributed to the rural communities, visits to the various rural communities across four local government areas revealed otherwise.

Also, fixing 42 PHCs out of hundreds in bad shape in the state is grossly inadequate, and the state may have to increase the tempo of work to attain an appreciable level.

Residents of the various rural communities rue the state of the PHCs and lack of basic amenities, including roads, water and electricity.