Ekiti State has received high praise from the World Health Organization (WHO) for its significant progress in the health sector. Akeem Busari, WHO’s state coordinator, acknowledged the state government’s outstanding efforts to enhance the health and well-being of its citizens. He revealed that the state has made remarkable strides, as shown in the latest reports received by the global health body.
This recognition came during a three-day technical workshop focused on the joint annual review of the state’s health sector. The event, organized by the Ekiti State government, was held in Ilupeju-Ekiti. Busari shared his thoughts on the state’s health achievements during his speech at the event.
Opening the workshop, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, outlined the workshop’s objectives. It aimed to conduct a thorough review of the state’s health data to assess sector performance and identify opportunities for improvement. Dr. Filani also highlighted the importance of reviewing health data from various surveys and routine administrative sources to determine where intervention is needed for sustained growth.
The Commissioner expressed his gratitude to Governor Biodun Oyebanji for approving the recruitment of numerous health workers, including doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health officers, to fill key vacancies in the health system.
In their messages of support, key stakeholders praised the government and UNICEF for their timely and well-received initiative. Dr. Olasunkanmi Alabi, Permanent Secretary of the Hospital’s Management Board, Dr. Rasheed Adepoju, Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, and Dr. Odilade Adewole, Project Coordinator of the Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS), all spoke highly of the workshop and its potential long-term impact.
Dr. Sunday Omoya, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, and the lead facilitator, emphasized that the workshop would not only assess progress toward Ekiti State’s health goals but also guide policy decisions and the allocation of resources within the sector.
Throughout the workshop, various experts and health partners presented papers on critical topics. These included the sector-wide approach to healthcare, 2024 budget performance, health data sources for situational analysis, primary healthcare service delivery, health insurance challenges and progress, and quality of care improvements in Ekiti State.
The event attracted a wide range of participants, including Permanent Secretaries, General Managers, Executive Secretaries, Directors, Program Officers, and key health development partners such as WHO, UNICEF, ECEWS, Solina, Johns Hopkins (Jhpiego), and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).
