Oyo Offers FG Its Healthcare Template as Makinde Launches Free Medical Mission

Ibadan, Nigeria – Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has offered the Federal Government the state’s successful template for building functional primary healthcare centres (PHCs) across its 351 electoral wards. This offer comes on the heels of the Federal Government’s recent announcement of its plan to construct 8,800 PHCs nationwide.

Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of the 2025 Omituntun Free Medical Mission held at the Ibadan North-East Local Government Secretariat, Governor Makinde emphasized his administration’s commitment to making healthcare more accessible to the people of Oyo State through the establishment of well-equipped Category 3 PHCs in each ward.

“Only recently, the Vice-President said the Federal Government plans to build 8,800 Primary Healthcare Centres across the country. Before the Federal Government, we started the renovation and equipment of functional PHC facilities in our 351 wards in the state,” Governor Makinde stated. “We are happy that we can give the federal level our template. The template has worked in Oyo State and I am assured it would work at the federal level.”

Further highlighting his government’s focus on the health sector, Governor Makinde asserted that a healthy populace is crucial for economic expansion and poverty reduction. He reiterated the state’s dedication to continuous improvement in healthcare delivery.

The Omituntun Free Medical Mission, launched at the event, signifies the state government’s ongoing efforts to provide accessible healthcare services to its citizens. Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, the Commissioner for Health, explained that the medical mission would operate on a clustering model, ensuring comprehensive healthcare delivery over three-day periods in each cluster, including post-operative follow-ups for surgical cases. She also mentioned ongoing efforts to enroll beneficiaries in the Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to guarantee continuity of care beyond the outreach.

Dr. Akin Fagbemi, Chairman of the Oyo State Hospital Management Board, lauded Governor Makinde for the recent recruitment of medical personnel, a move he said had resulted in the state achieving full accreditation for physiotherapy practice after 30 years of unsuccessful attempts.

Beyond healthcare, Governor Makinde highlighted his administration’s achievements across its four key pillars: education, health, security, and economic expansion. He pointed to the improved performance of Oyo State students in recent Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) and Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME), as well as the state’s growing economy, as evidence of the success of his government’s policies.

“Today, we have won the war as far as security is concerned in the state. We will not sleep; we will continue to tweak the architecture until everybody can sleep with their two eyes closed,” the governor declared. He also noted that the state government injects approximately N24 billion into the Oyo State economy monthly through salaries and pensions, alongside providing essential infrastructure for private sector growth.

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Governor Makinde expressed gratitude to the residents of Ibadan North-East Local Government and the entire Oyo State for their support and for contributing to the state’s stability through their actions at the household level. He emphasized his focus on delivering on his promises to the people, rather than dwelling on the actions or inactions of past administrations.
The event was well-attended by prominent figures in Oyo State, including the Deputy Governor, Barr Bayo Lawal; former Deputy Governor, Barr. Hazeem Gbolarumi; Deputy Speaker, Rt Honourable Mohammed Fadeyi; former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu; the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima; and other top government officials and healthcare practitioners.

Governor Makinde’s offer to share Oyo State’s healthcare template with the Federal Government underscores the potential for sub-national governments to contribute valuable insights and successful strategies to national development initiatives. The ongoing Omituntun Free Medical Mission further demonstrates the Oyo State government’s proactive approach to improving the health and well-being of its citizens.