Ibadan North local government is the most populated constituency, located in Oyo South Senatorial district, in Oyo state with close to 1m inhabitants. Currently, it does not have adequate facilities to provide for this swelling population. This makes constructing a primary healthcare centre in Ibadan North Federal constituency a matter of crucial urgency. One is now in the works, costed at N23.5m. The constituency enjoys other privileges.Notable spokesmen for the local constituency, Alh Rabiu, states that the constituency is the heartbeat of the nation as well as Oyo State, considering different National establishments that are situated within the local government, which are; University College Hospital (UCH), first television station in Africa Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), First premier University (University of Ibadan), Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) Federal Secretariat ,State Secretariat and among others
If these institutions can exist in the constituency to serve the state, so should public infrastructures exist to serve the people. There is need to establish more consumable public infrastructures, (electricity, water projects, road projects & school projects) to balance the gap between demand of essential goods and services needed within the constituency; and give the people a higher quality of life.
Health has proven to be the most urgent. While provision has been made to construct a primary healthcare centre in 2016, a BudgIT representative discovered a similar provision was made in 2015, a federal government constituency project titled, “Completion of the construction, furnishing, and equipping of model primary health care Centre at Ibadan north lga.”
All the efforts employed by the officer to ensure that project is tracked were proved abortive in 2016.
We held a Town Hall meeting after the sensitization with the community leaders. The major issue on the agenda was that the construction of the health centre be followed through.
Our team got information that the community leaders have once consulted their honorable to equip and modernize their ancient PHC if another one cannot be built to support the existing health structures. The Honorable representing the constituency promised to look into the matter without further delay before the information and intervention of BudgIT.
Presently, one of the community correspondents has taken the 2017 federal government publication distributed by the officer to one of the community’s notable radio station (Petals FM 102.3} aimed to notify the general public about the provision and benefits awaiting them between July 2017 and June 2018.
The construction of new healthcare facilities or upgrade of the existing one will bring significant, life-saving change to the community. It would provide an alternative for citizens who cannot afford tertiary hospital bills, it will make healthcare more accessible, bringing it closer to the people, Immunization and maternity access will be expanded. It will also assist in stabilizing major health infractions which might have gotten out of control if that primary intervention unit is not there. It will rapidly reduce the mortality rate and improve the health status of the residents of different local communities under Ibadan North federal constituency.
