Residents of Oke-Afa in the Magboro community in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State have urged the state government to upgrade the Primary Healthcare Centre facility in the area and make available medical doctors for efficient service delivery.
Our correspondent gathered that the health centre provides health care services such as antenatal, family planning, delivery and immunisation to about 30 communities in the area.
It was gathered that the PHC serves communities which include Ilupeju, Sani Omotedo, Olowofela, Kajola, Gateway Sparklight, Wemabod, Redstar, Arepo and about 22 estates.
It was learnt that pregnant women and nursing mothers who use the facility for antenatal and immunisation always sit under the sun while waiting for their turns.
Some of the residents who spoke with PUNCH Metro on Sunday said the upgrade would provide a conducive environment for the health workers and their patients.
The youth representative of the Oke-Afa Community Development Committee, who doubles as the Vice Chairman of the Health Centre Committee, Lawal Alihu, said, “Whenever pregnant women are put to bed, they stay in the same ward with sick patients and that is not supposed to be so. We are requesting for an upgrade of the health centre.
“We also need doctors in the health centre. We need another facility that will serve as a doctor’s residence, pharmacy store, wards for pregnant women and children, wards for nursing mothers, laboratory and many other facilities.”
Another resident who identified herself simply as Akinyegun
said, “We need a doctor. When they bring patients with critical conditions to the health centre, the doctor will be able to attend to them. Unfortunately, this is the only health centre we have that provides health services to people around the communities.”
When contacted, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, said the government had a plan for the PHCs.
“There is a system for that. We have a plan which we are rolling out on PHCs. I am sure we will get there soon,” she said.
