Ekiti State has ramped up rural healthcare with new staff, free services, and PHC renovations.
Commissioner Filani says 250 workers deployed and 103 centers upgraded under Oyebanji’s grassroots reforms.
The Ekiti State Government has intensified its push to make quality healthcare more accessible and appealing, especially to people in rural areas, through new staffing, free services, and the renovation of primary health centers (PHCs).
Speaking on Saturday at Otun Ekiti, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, said the state had recently recruited 250 healthcare professionals including nurses, midwives, and community health officers who are now being deployed across various PHCs.
Dr. Filani was addressing stakeholders and community members during a two-day mobilization and engagement programme that spanned the Ikere, Ekiti Southwest, Moba, and Ilejemeje Local Government Areas. He said the initiative aligns with the broader strategy of the Biodun Oyebanji administration to strengthen grassroots health delivery.
“We are currently renovating 103 PHCs, equipping them with modern medical infrastructure to ensure they can meet patient needs. Alongside this, we have employed qualified staff to run these centers effectively. The aim is to make sure that every patient who walks into a center meets competent hands,” the commissioner explained.
He highlighted that residents now enjoy a range of free healthcare services through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and the Ulerawa Program. These include maternal and child health services, laboratory tests, and malaria treatments all available across 177 PHCs in the state.
“Our Drug Management Agency is adequately stocked with essential medicines, and we ensure these drugs are distributed to all facilities,” he added.
The commissioner also revealed that the government is in the process of hiring more doctors to fill gaps in health centers. “We advertised for 100 doctors, and although we’ve only taken in eight so far, recruitment is ongoing. In addition, NYSC doctors are being deployed to support service delivery,” he said.
Responding to community complaints regarding poor electricity, water, and fencing at some facilities, Dr. Filani assured that all such infrastructure issues are being addressed as part of the ongoing renovations.
Dr. Charles Doherty, General Manager of the Ekiti State Health Insurance Scheme, noted that critical services like immunization, malaria treatment, and essential medicines remain free at PHCs under the current scheme.
Dr. Busayo Ige, the State Health Educator, used the occasion to encourage expectant and nursing mothers to make use of government facilities. She also stressed the importance of childhood vaccinations in preventing deadly diseases and boosting immunity.
Local government chairmen present at the event Olu Adamolekun of Ikere and Bamidele Fadugba of Moba commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the health sector. They said the state’s interventions had led to increased use of healthcare services and improved health outcomes across their communities.
The forum ended with a call for greater community participation in sustaining government health initiatives, especially at the grassroots level. Stakeholders praised the inclusiveness of the state’s healthcare reform process, which they said has brought much-needed attention to rural and underserved areas.
