Condition of Primary Health Care (PHC) Delivery in Oyo State

Note: The provision of health care at PHC level is largely the responsibility of local governments with the support of state ministries of health and within the overall national health policy (Nigeria Constitution, 1999). Quality health is a fundamental right of all citizens. Primary health care (PHC) which is the first level of contact for individuals, the family, and the community to address the main health problems in the community, providing health promotion, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services , are not available to all local governments in Oyo State. Many people in Oyo State are at risk of falling into poverty due to out-of-pocket health spending. of more of their household budget. Primary health care, which is supposed to be the bedrock of the state and health care policy is currently catering to a small number of potential patients. While most PHC facilities are in various states of disrepair, with equipment and infrastructure being either absent or obsolete, the referral system is almost non-existent. The reason is that the primary health care system has deteriorated to an unacceptable level coupled with ineffective management in Oyo State. For universal health coverage (UHC) to be truly universal in Oyo State, a shift is needed from health systems designed around diseases and institutions to health systems designed for people, with people. PHC requires governments to underscore the importance of action beyond the health sector in order to pursue a whole-of-government approach to health, including health-in- all-policies, a strong focus on equity, and interventions that encompass the entire life course. The health services, based on PHC, include, among other things, education concerning prevailing health problems and the methods of preventing and controlling them, promotion of food supply and proper nutrition, equipment and child care, including family planning and immunization against the major infectious diseases, prevention and control of locally endemic and epidemic diseases and provision of essential drugs and supplies. All these features are entirely absent in the context of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Delivery. One of the major hindrances to the development of PHC is the insufficient number of medical personnel as well as their uneven distribution. The solution to this perennial health problem is to scale up PHC interventions among target groups across the state in order to save many lives and increase average life expectancy. In conclusion, nothing to show for the huge amount of public funds wasted on the project.
Solomon Adewunmi is the Editor-in-Chief of New Federation (news2day.emyspot.com), People(2day.emyspot.com) and Federationewsday(one.emyspot.com) He attended Ajeromi Ifelodun High School, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos and the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos. He possesses - * BBC/EC CERTIFICATE IN NEWS JOURNALISM (FEB. 2001) * CERTIFICATE IN ARTS AND CULTURE CRITICISM (NANTAP MAY 2001) * CERTIFICATE IN PEACE JOURNALISM (JUSTICE, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE COMMISSION) *CERTIFICATE IN CONFLICT ANALYSIS[UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMME, OCT.2004] *CERTIFICATE IN INTERFAITH CONFLICT RESOLUTION( UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE, JAN. 2009).

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