The story starts with a boy and a problem.
A boy that was raised in a farm settlement in South West Nigeria. During Seyi’s childhood he vividly remembers going to a health center in Oke-Ola anytime he got sick but by the time he was in university, without knowing why or how he realized that it was now running on fumes of skeletal services.
So, when the opportunity came, he put together a team “rethinking-remote” and through the World Economic Forum Abuja Global Shapers Emerging Leaders Programme (ELP) supported by Selfless for Africa Inc. the team won a grant of $3250 to renovate the ailing Primary Health Care centre in Oke Ola community of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, Nigeria.
With the provision of electricity and electrical fittings, toilet facilities, a labor room, drugs and drug cabinets, digital blood pressure monitoring equipment and other medical paraphernalia, and repainting, the Center was back to life amidst a cheerful gathering that marked the commissioning of the project. The Abuja Global Shapers designed a policy framework that made sure the community, the local, and the state government had a bilateral agreement to participate in the running of the facility and ensuring sustainability.
It’s been a year since…
The center has recorded over 20 walk-in patients daily as against 0-5 previously recorded, Three deliveries, 1 circumcision, 5 women on ante-natal and 5 on post-natal care, treatment of over 100 children and nearly 50 aged people so far. Also, the Center offers free HIV testing and counseling.
In gratitude for the new lease of life, the community has contributed to the sustainability of the project and provided funds to hire an extra health worker to support already existing staff to ease the workload. Through a revolving fund, the drug cabinets have remained evergreen by use of proceeds from the sale of drugs to restock. The local government and the state government have provided health workers and trained one of the staff on data collection and management.
Within one year, this project has improved the quality of life for farmers and their families, impacting an average of 20 people daily. The health workers took health to the doorstep of the community with an outreach to mark the children’s day where free immunization and health talks were delivered.
Now in its second year, we received news about a recent delivery of twins.
In a country of 180 million people, access to health care has become so daunting in the face of the deadly triage of poverty, illiteracy, and disease. Many structures designated for the provision of primary health care are littered all over the breadth and length of Nigeria but what’s in dire need are interventions that are pragmatic and sustainable, allowing multi-stakeholder participation at the grassroots to improve health and unlock the wealth of a nation.
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We are currently receiving applications from students of tertiary institutions across Nigeria for the 4th edition
Emerging Leaders Program 4th Edition
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