Ondo State has emerged as a national model for primary healthcare deliver
…Records Lowest Child Mortality Rates in the Southwest, Leads Sub-Saharan Africa in Key Indicators
Ondo State has received national commendation for its outstanding performance in primary health care delivery, with the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2024 placing the state among the best-performing in child and maternal health indicators across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The state recorded the lowest neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality rates in the Southwest and now leads Sub-Saharan Africa in key child mortality indicators. It also topped the national ranking in primary health care workers’ knowledge of maternal and child healthcare services.
Dr. Oyebanji Filani, the Commissioner for Health in Ekiti State and Chairman of the Forum of Commissioners for Health in Nigeria, disclosed this at the National Summit of State Health Insurance Agencies 2026, held in Akure.
According to him, he personally carried out investigations to understand why the Ondo State PHC system is performing exceptionally well compared to other states. He said that through unannounced visits to some primary health care centres in Ondo State, he discovered that the PHC system is very strong and that the facilities are well-equipped.
He said this was further validated by the recent national assessment of health workers’ knowledge of maternal and child healthcare. The evidence demonstrated the high level of human resource capacity within the PHC system, with Ondo State leading all other states in the country.
“What we see in Ondo is a deliberate approach to building systems, not just structures. The combination of skilled health workers, functional facilities, and consistent supervision is why the state is now a reference point for primary health care delivery,” he said.
The Chairman of the Forum of Commissioners for Health said it was clear that Ondo’s model deserves national adoption, noting that other states have much to learn from the way Ondo has prioritised PHC as the foundation for universal health coverage.
Reacting to the development, the Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, said the achievements were not accidental but the outcome of deliberate government policies that emphasise continuous capacity building, supportive supervision, and regular professional development for health workers.
He said that under Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the state and local governments have consistently encouraged the training and retraining of healthcare workers to ensure they remain abreast of global best practices. In addition, the administration has continued the rehabilitation and upgrading of primary health care centres across the state.
The Commissioner said several facilities have been renovated and equipped with modern medical equipment, while the steady supply of essential medicines and consumables through the Drug Revolving Fund has enhanced the quality of services available to the people.
Ajaka said the Governor has also demonstrated a strong commitment to equitable healthcare by ensuring that health workers are deployed to underserved and hard-to-reach communities, including riverine and rural areas, which informed the recent recruitment of 930 health professionals.
He added that the administration has equally strengthened health information management through the provision of laptops and the training of Health Management Information Officers to improve data collection and evidence-based planning.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Francis Akanbiemu, said Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has shown consistent support, determination, and political will to sustain the gains and successes recorded in the state health sector through the OUR EASE Agenda.
Akanbiemu said the agency, with government support, operates the Drug Revolving Fund strategy to ensure the regular availability of medicines and implements decentralised facility financing, granting financial autonomy to health facilities to manage their resources according to their needs through quarterly business plans.
He said the efforts of the administration are building a resilient, equitable, qualitative, and effective PHC system that will further improve the state’s achievements in SDG 3.2 and other health indices, stressing that when citizens see competent and motivated health workers in their PHCs, trust in healthcare services increases and utilisation improves.
In his remarks, the Director of Medical Services, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Paulinus Omode, commended Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for the giant strides that have positioned Ondo State among the states in Sub-Saharan Africa that have achieved Sustainable Development Goal 3 targets in child healthcare ahead of the timeline set by the United Nations.
According to him, between NDHS 2018 and NDHS 2024, neonatal mortality declined from 30 to three deaths per 1,000 live births, infant mortality from 49 to eight, and under-five mortality from 79 to 15. He said the results surpassed the SDG 3.2 targets six years ahead of schedule and positioned the state as a model for others.
Also, the Director of Family Health at the Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr Isaac Aladeniyi, noted that the Governor’s achievements have positioned Ondo as a leader in Sub-Saharan Africa.
He concluded that the progress is built on a whole-of-society approach that delivers early, need-based care, ranging from health promotion and disease prevention to treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.
Signed:
Ayo Falana
OSPHCDA
