The Oyo State Government has urged residents, especially rural dwellers, to access quality and affordable healthcare through functional Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) facilities in the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bode Ladipo made the call while launching the maintainance manual for the facilities in Ibadan, on Monday.

Dr. Ladipo said the Oyo State Government has put in some resources to facilitate the upgrade of PHCs in the State.

He said the essence of the step was to make sure each political ward has a viable healthcare centre, adding that about 210 of these PHCs were renovated in Governor Makinde’s first tenure, while other PHCs will be completed to make up the remaining 351 PHCs.

Ladipo who said the Oyo State Government is aware of the manpower shift from this clime to more economically buoyant climes, added that the Government has started looking inward to shore up resources that will ensure it meets the needs of practitioners.

Dr. Ladipo reiterated the commitment of the Oyo State Government to maintain all the healthcare facilities in the State.

He said there is need to ensure the facilities put together, outlasts the present administration.

Ladipo said for this reason, the Oyo State Government put a small manual together for the maintenance of the new facilities.

Speaking earlier, the Special Adviser on Health and Chairperson Governor’s PHC renovation steering committee, Dr Funmi Salami said the maintenance handbook is vital as a good maintenance culture will extend the life of the infrastructure we are setting up in Oyo State.

She reiterated the Oyo state Government’s commitment to deliver its mandate of quality healthcare to all citizens of Oyo State through the renovation of 351 primary health care centers (one PHC per ward) across the state to category 3 PHCs.

According to her, “a category 3 PHC has about 13 rooms with portable water and electricity”.

She said, “Maintaining the PHCs in a proactive manner is critical to their functionality and longevity. This maintenance manual will assist in ensuring that end users regularly perform preventative maintenance”.

Addressing the shortage of healthcare workers in the country due to brain drain and other factors, she said the committee has a mandate to think outside the box to staff PHCs.

She said decisions have been reached on how to provide staffing the PHCs on the short, medium and long term.

Stakeholders at the event include: Special Assistant on Environment (Technical lead Governor’s PHC renovation steering committee), Engr. Ademola Aderinto, Permanent Secretaries Ministry of Health and Local Government, ALGON Chairman, Hon. Sikiru Sanda; ALGON executives, ES Primary Healthcare board, Dr. M.B Olatunji; ES OYISHA, Dr. Sola Akande WDC zonal chairmen, Local government Medical officers of Health, Provost college of Nursing and Midwifery, Provost college of Health science and technology.

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