Water Shortage In Primary Health Centers Will Affect Sustainable Development Goal In Oyo State- Expert

An expert from the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) Doctor Hakeem Tijani has said that the shortage of water and toilets in Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs) across Oyo State will affect Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in the state.

Tijani made this known while speaking during his presentation at “Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), WASH in Primary Health Care Assessment Findings Presentation and Validation Meeting” in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

According to the expert, there would be sufficient health centers with wash facilities in line with National Primary Health Care Development Agency if the government can meet up with the necessary requirement.

Tijani however urged the state government to do more in provision of water and toilets in PHCs so that people at the grassroots can have access to basic healthcare facilities noting that Oyo State needs to take welfare of it citizenry as one of it’s top priority.

According to Tijani, findings has shown that there is insufficient water and toilets in PHCs in the state, adding that the survey for the assessment was carried out in November 2021, having visited 211 out of the 950 PHCs across the state.

The Permanent Secetrary, Oyo State Ministry of Health, Mufutau Ayoola said that the presentation of the expert was an objective findings which the state is currently working on.

Ayoola noted that healthcare in the state has improved because alot of work is currently ongoing in health facilities across the state, adding that all recommendation in the findings will be considered and worked on.

Adedotun Adeniyi while speaking on behalf of the Acting General Manager of Oyo RUWASSA, Engineer Najeem Omirinde, stated that his agency and it’s partner organised the program to find out situation assessment of healthcare centres in the Primary Healthcare Board in the state for the past few months.

The state Programme Lead, Oyo State HAF II Project, Miss Idowu Adebayo said that the assessment become necessary in order to curb communicable diseases particularly during this pandemic period.