Participants Stress Community Engagement, Facility Utilization at Townhall Meeting
By Damilola Fajinmi
Key stakeholders and participants at a recent health sector townhall in Oyo State have called for stronger collaboration, better community engagement, and increased utilisation of primary health care facilities to improve health outcomes at the grassroots level.
The event, jointly organised by the Oyo State Government, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), drew health professionals, community leaders, and residents to the Training Hall of the Local Government Service Commission, Ibadan.
Speaking passionately during the townhall, the Director for Disease Control and Immunization in Oyo State, Dr. Osoko Johnson Oluyemi, highlighted the strides made under Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration to enhance primary health care infrastructure and services.
He urged residents to take ownership by utilising the health centres available in their communities.
“These facilities exist for the people—there is an ongoing effort to improve them, but we need citizens to also play their part by using the health centres and giving feedback,” Dr. Oluyemi emphasized.
Alhaja Halimat Yusuf, representing the NPHCDA headquarters in Abuja, underscored the importance of continued grassroots engagement to make primary health care truly effective.
“Strengthening primary health care is critical to Nigeria’s health system. Without vibrant community participation and proper use of facilities, progress will be limited,” she noted.
In his remarks, the Oyo State Health Promotion Officer, Mr. Olarinde Samuel, said the meeting was not just to relay information but to listen to residents’ experiences and concerns.
“This townhall is part of a feedback loop that will help us adapt and fine-tune our efforts. We are committed to a primary health care system that reflects the needs and voices of the people,” he stated.
Participants also called for improved staffing, increased medical supplies, and more awareness campaigns to drive community-level health engagement.
Government officials, partners, and community representatives expressed their commitment to continue working together to strengthen primary health care delivery in Oyo State, ensuring equitable access to quality health services for all residents.
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