The importance of a good healthcare system cannot be over emphasized in a modern society, as no meaningful development can be achieved without a strong healthcare system for the citizenry. Any serious government should have a plan for adequate provision of healthcare facilities at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

During the campaign, Governor Seyi Makinde promised to initiate a holistic review of the healthcare system, provide quality healthcare facilities at all levels, while implementing programmes that will ensure affordable healthcare system is available in all the nooks and crannies of Oyo State. He promised to set the task of improving the healthcare system as priority for his administration and within the time frame given, the masses will get, in every ward in Oyo State, a standard primary health care facility.

After visiting a good number of the healthcare facilities in Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde concluded in a statement that only less than 10% of the 721 healthcare facilities in the State are up to standard and fit for the purpose it was set up for. He went further in his speech, making it clear that the primary health care is the closest to the people and it is not every disease that should take us to secondary or tertiary health centres.

Fast forward to 2021, has this promise been fulfilled? What is the state of our healthcare facilities in Oyo State? How is Seyi Makinde improving the health and wellbeing of the citizens of Oyo State? Oyo Truth monitors the activities of Governor Seyi Makinde in the healthcare sector, and reviews his health campaign promises.

REVIEW OF MAKINDE’S HEALTH CAMPAIGN PROMISES (2 Years in Office)

• The previous government introduced the State Insurance scheme. Whilst a Cost Benefit Analysis shows that the insurance scheme cost N50,000/annum/resident. This amount is reduced by 84% to N8,000/annum/resident. Governor Seyi Makinde, therefore, decided to further drive to push up the enrolment of civil servants and other artisans to the scheme. In addition, there has been an introduction of Community based health insurance using Eyin Grammar and Ogungbade Community in Egbeda Local Government Area (LGA) as pilots. So far, persons under the Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme have benefited from the following interventions:
  • Over 80 caesarean sections done.
  • 3 orthopedic cases done.
  • over 30 myomectomy surgeries done.

• Enrolling 64,000 beneficiaries registered by the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency, this is 200% increase compared with it status last year.
• Sensitisation on the of importance of using health insurance and mobilisation during the Free Health Mission in all zones of the state have helped tremendously in the increase of respondent to the primary health care in Oyo State.
• A committee on Oyo Health Care System was established for the purpose of identifying gaps in structure, personnel, current funding modality, utilization of resources and expenditure on health. This evaluation has led to the following
  • The rehabilitation and equipping of Adeoyo State Hospital.
  • The Ring Road Movement of Jericho Specialist Hospital to a new site.
  • The Introduction of Public Private Partnership and International donor agencies.

• Elimination of multiplicity and duplication of roles by establishing a committee to merge duplicate units and recommend terms of reference.
• Free Health Mission was organized to treat various health conditions to reduce the burden of disease in the state.

• Tomotiya programme was organised to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in the State.
• Set up of functional Ward Development Committees across the 351 political wards in the state. There are also Community Development Committee as well as the facility development committees in most of our primary healthcare facilities. The Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA) has commenced community-based health insurance mobilisation and enrolment under his watch as the Governor of the state.
• Organised capacity building session for 3,200 frontline Health Workers on the Health Information Management System. Capacity building on the quality of care in ANC and PNC were conducted for 320 healthcare providers across the 60 facilities
• Reactivation of Ward Development Committees of the PHCs where they existed and creation of WDCs where they didn’t exist in all 351 wards of the state during the first year in office. For the second year in office, the Executives of Ward Development Committee in all the 351 wards in the State were trained to enable them carry out their functions effectively.

• During the First 6 months of administration, health programs and services were being Integrated especially for Primary Health Care programs. Gov. Seyi Makinde has been able to fulfill another obligation of having the Primary Health Care under one roof, a policy that will help reduce bureaucracy and ensure efficiency as envisioned by the National Health Law.
• As part of having the Primary Health Care Under One Roof, Oyo residents saw the renovation of three (3) Primary Health Care center with upbeat medical equipment and solar powered inverters. The centers include:
  • Primary Health Care, Oranyan.
  • Primary Health Care, Afin Oyo, Alaafin’s palace
  • ALGON Comprehensive Health Centre, Eyin Grammar, Molete.
• Furthermore, the state has been able to provide appropriate counterpart funding and timely resources allocation. Counterpart funding include the following:
  • The payment of N250M as state counterpart fund for the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN) World Bank project. The project commenced in March 2020.
  • The sum of N100M was paid as a state counterpart fund on Basic Health Care Fund project.
  • Oyo State paid N19 million counterpart fund for the Integrated Medical Outreach Program by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
• The motivation provided for the ministry and its workers cannot be left out as the state ensure that good working environment, prompt payment of salaries and also bestowing the ministry of the best ministry award. This is contributed positively to the job performances and workers attitude towards their jobs.
• The State has facilitated the accreditation of National Diploma in Dental Therapy, Dental Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics and Health Information in Oyo State College of Health Science and Technology.

Other Achievements

• Establishment of Renal Dialysis Centre and High Dependency Unit at Ring Road State Hospital.
• Procurement and Installation of CT-Scan at Ring Road State Hospital.
• Renovation of Jericho Nursing Home.
• Oyo State Government spent over N27, 851,726.00 on medical assistance for both public and civil servants.
• Accreditation of Jericho Specialist Hospital for postgraduate training in Family Medicine.
• Accreditation of Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital for Post Graduate training in Obstetrics & Gynecology
• Semi-autonomy for selected health facilities (Ring Road State Hospital, Adeoyo Maternity and State Hospital Oyo).
• Establishment of the Geriatric Centre at former Jericho Specialist Hospital building at Jericho, Ibadan.
• Collaboration with Africa Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine project on improving quality of Ante Natal Care and Post Natal Care (ANC and PNC) by integrating TB HIV and Malaria into service delivery. Equipment to improve the quality of ANC and PNC care donated by AFENET and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine was supplied to 60 facilities across the state.
• Employment of ten new Consultants, 53 Specialised Nurses.
• Employment of 470 health workers (almost completed).
• Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRIN) Project: 
• Management of Malnutrition among Under-5 Children – One hundred and Sixty (160) cases of various degrees of malnutrition among under-5 children have so far been successfully managed at the State Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre, Oni and Son Hospital in the last eight (8) Months.
• Distribution of Vitamin A to Health Facilities (HFs) in the State – 657 HFs were supplied with Vitamin A to enhance the Supplementation of Under-5 Children with Vitamin A.
• Collaboration with Partners: UNICEF, WHO, DFB
• Global Fund/PMI plan distribution of 5 million Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets.
• Printing and distribution of data tool to all Health facilities in the state.
• Supply of computers and laptops for to officers in the Ministry of Health.

Governor Seyi Makinde made a promise to the masses about improving the health sector during his tenure and as a man of integrity he is working tirelessly daily to deliver on his promise to the people of Oyo State by setting up commendable projects to improve the health care system in Oyo State.

There is no doubt that a lot still need to be done, considering the amount of damage that has been done for years, but it is very clear to the people of Oyo State that Governor Seyi Makinde knows what he is doing, and he is working hard to improve the quality of healthcare system for the citizens of Oyo State.

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