NEWS EDITORIAL: Monday Okpebholo's Giant Strides In Primary Health Care Development In Edo State









NEWS EDITORIAL: Monday Okpebholo's Giant Strides In Primary Health Care Development In Edo State


By: Festus Alenkhe

When we talk about development, we must look beyond the city centers. Real development is measured by what happens in our villages, in our wards, and in the smallest health centre in our community. 

In Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo has made Primary Health Care a key pillar of his administration. And the results are beginning to speak for themselves.

*First, infrastructure.*  
Across the 18 Local Government Areas, several dilapidated Primary Health Care Centres have been renovated and equipped. Centres in places like Uromi, Auchi, Igarra, and parts of Ovia North East that were once abandoned are now wearing a new look. Solar power, clean water, and perimeter fencing have been provided in many of them to ensure 24-hour service delivery.

*Second, human resources.*  
The government has prioritized the recruitment and redeployment of nurses, community health extension workers, and midwives to underserved areas. This has reduced the problem of "one nurse for 5 communities" that plagued many PHCs in the past. Training and retraining programs have also been rolled out to improve maternal and child health services.

*Third, drugs and equipment.*  
Through partnerships with NPHCDA and other development partners, essential drugs are now being supplied directly to PHCs. Delivery beds, immunization fridges, BP monitors, and basic laboratory equipment have been distributed to make sure patients get treatment at the first point of contact instead of rushing to Benin.

*Fourth, maternal and child health.*  
The administration has scaled up immunization campaigns, antenatal care, and free treatment for children under 5 in many PHCs. Mobile health teams have also been deployed to riverine and hard-to-reach areas in Ovia South West and Etsako Central to take healthcare to the people.

*Fifth, data and accountability.*  
For the first time in a long while, there is now a push for proper record-keeping and monitoring of PHCs. Supervisory visits by the State Primary Health Care Development Agency have increased, and community health committees are being revived to ensure the people own these facilities.

This focus on PHC is strategic. It reduces pressure on our tertiary hospitals. It saves money for families. And most importantly, it saves lives.

There is still need for  consistent funding, zero tolerance for drug diversion, and motivation for health workers. 

Governor Monday Okpebholo has laid a foundation. If sustained, this PHC revolution will be remembered as one of the defining legacies of this administration — a legacy where a child in Agbede , a trader in Ekpoma and a pregnant woman in Okhuessan can access quality healthcare without traveling 100 kilometers.

That is the kind of governance Edo people deserve. Healthcare that is close, affordable and in good working condition. 


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