The Chairman of the Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), Dr Funke Ogunbunmi, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Gov. Biodun Oyebanji-led administration to transforming the primary health care (PHC) sector in the state.
Ogunbunmi stated this during an unscheduled monitoring visit to selected primary health care centres in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
The visit, which took health workers by surprise, was aimed at assessing the quality of services being rendered at the grassroots and ensuring that government investments in the health sector were translating into improved healthcare outcomes for residents.
She said the Oyebanji administration had made huge investments in the renovation and equipping of PHC facilities, recruitment and capacity building of health workers, as well as improvement of staff welfare.
During the visit, Ogunbunmi inspected key service points within the facilities, assessed infrastructure, checked the availability of essential drugs and interacted with frontline health workers and patients.
She also monitored the level of compliance with the ongoing Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign in the facilities visited.
The SPHCDA boss emphasised that the Oyebanji administration had placed primary health care at the forefront of its health sector reform agenda.
She debunked claims circulating on social media that Ekiti State budgeted only N68 million for primary health care in the 2026 fiscal year, describing the reports as false and misleading.
According to her, the governor has consistently demonstrated strong political will through substantial budgetary allocations to the health sector, with a significant portion devoted to strengthening PHC services, upgrading facilities and improving the welfare of health workers.
“These investments have contributed to significant reductions in child and maternal mortality across the state,” she said.
Ogunbunmi noted that beyond infrastructure development, the state government had prioritised the motivation and welfare of health workers, stressing that a strong health system depends on a motivated workforce.
She added that the administration’s approach aligned with global best practices that recognise primary health care as the foundation of a functional and resilient health system.
The SPHCDA chairman stressed that accessible, affordable and quality PHC services were critical to reducing maternal and child mortality, controlling preventable diseases and achieving universal health coverage.
She commended health workers for their dedication and urged them to reciprocate government’s commitment by maintaining professionalism, punctuality and compassion in service delivery.
Ogunbunmi also charged heads of health facilities to ensure proper record-keeping, accountability and optimal utilisation of government-provided resources.
Some community members at the facilities expressed appreciation to the state government for ongoing improvements in infrastructure and service delivery, noting that increased attention to primary health care had boosted public confidence and patronage of government health facilities.
The SPHCDA boss said monitoring and supportive supervision would remain a continuous exercise as the agency works to consolidate the gains recorded so far.
She reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to building a people-centred health system where quality primary health care is accessible to all residents.
The visit was attended by the Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Rasheed Adepoju, and the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr Olusola Amodu.