Amid COVID-19 pandemic, Ogun Primary Health Centres Remain in Shambles
NEWS DIGEST – “This period of pandemic is going to be tough for some of our staff, especially the ward attendants and those who head some health facilities in some local government. I just pray the outbreak does not get out of hand because in my local government we were only given hand sanitizer to protect ourselves from COVID-19.
“Even the training we had at the local government level, we were only given a piece of advice on how to remain safe during this period. Hence, some things should be put in place because most Primary Health Workers lack the basic knowledge on how to prevent themselves during this covid-19 period not to talk of the patients.” a health worker narrated.
The Primary Health Care forms an integral part of the country’s health system and it is the first level of contact of individuals, the family and community with the national health system. The Primary Health Care initiative was established for the improvement of the grass root and community health care towards ensuring that a sustainable, adequate health care is made affordable to the people irrespective of their places of abode in the state.
In view of this, the Ogun state Primary Health Centers are on the verge of extinction with many of them not functioning, while others are dilapidated due to lack of manpower and negligence.
The News Digest recalls that on 27th February 2020, the first COVID-19 case in the country reportedly visited a cement factory in Ewekoro local government area of Ogun state.
According to the World Health Organization(WHO), health workers are at the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak response and as such are exposed to hazards that put them at risk of infection.
In a crucial period of ours, where COVID-19 has been on trend with its deadly hand, it is important that necessary measures be taken to curb the spread of the virus within the vicinity.
PHCs Ready to fight COVID-19?
A visit by this reporter to some of the health centers in some local government areas which include Odeda, Sagamu, Obafemi-owode, Remo North, Abeokuta south and Abeokuta north revealed that some of the health facilities have their facility heads to be ward attendants who often disguise as nurses and Community Health Extension Workers(CHEW).
It was observed that these ward attendants administered treatments based on the knowledge gained from the health workers.
Findings revealed that while some of the health facilities are equipped, some lack basic equipment and instruments needed in the PHC.
It was also observed that these health workers were seen with nose covers, some had diluted liquid wash alongside hand sanitizers as measures to curb the deadly disease.
During a one-on-one chat with some of these health workers, most of them narrated their drifts on their preparedness towards the fight against covid19 in the state.
Special Training to Curb Pandemic
It was revealed that most health workers at the Primary Health Centers in Ogun state were not probably trained on how to combat the infectious disease.
Aside being given the hand sanitizer and Ankara face mask, no in-depth knowledge aside social media awareness and the awareness created by the local government doctors, it was said that there’s no special training unlike how it used to be during Polio and measles vaccine exercises.
According to a health worker who pleaded anonymity said: ”we at Obafemi-Owode L/G were being lectured by the local government doctor on coronavirus and later we were given hand sanitizers only.
“Considering the number of patients we attend to on a daily basis, the sanitizer has almost been exhausted.”
Fate of the Patients
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Most times, patients are often delayed due to lack of adequate manpower in the facilities. Ideally, a facility should comprise of a Doctor, Nurse, Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW) and ward attendants. It was, however, observed that most health facilities have either one or two domestic workers to oversee a facility with only one health worker. These patients end up patronizing patent stores available in their areas.
Mostly, the rural and urban dwellers patronize these facilities as billings are affordable. There are some of these facilities that are headed by ward attendants who prescribe and do other routines that are expected from Doctors and Nurses.
Residents’ Reaction
Our reporter spoke with some of the state residents on how to improve the Primary Health Care and how to curb the disease from spreading. Most people claimed that the health facilities are not well equipped and other state health sectors are not affordable compare to the primary health facilities.
A 35-year-old farmer, Akanbi Yusuf told the reporter that: the disease might continue to spread.
“Government should try to improve the state primary health facilities. In case we don’t know that most of the rural dwellers are mostly the ones patronizing these health facilities but if these facilities are not well equipped how do you expect proper health care from them.
A civil servant who identified himself as Adenuga Nurudeen said, government should do more work on the primary health center.
He added, “though, most of them are efficient but they still need some training to renew their knowledge most especially during this pandemic period.”
A resident of Ajaka area of Sagamu said, “The health centers are often congested compare to normal hospital settings. The people in charge should please look into it. We are even scared of going to the clinic during this coronavirus period because we have heard all sorts on radio.”
Mr. Saliu Ahmodu, a resident of Ogunmakin told this reporter that the primary health center in Ogunmakin has been abandoned but his greater fear is that the state and Oyo state shares the same boarder as both states are into one another.
He disclosed that despite the lockdown most of the Oyo state residents still walk into the state.
He said:” The Health workers are trying but the government should open the abandoned Primary health centers in the community. Coronavirus will continue to multiply if the residents in the neighbouring state keep coming to our community most especially during the free days given to us by the state government. They should not infect us.”
However, it is pertinent to know that Ogun state shares border with some neighbouring states such as; Oyo state. Both states share the same boundary. The ayegbami-otesile area of ogunmakin is the only boundary that separates Ogun state from Oyo state. In spite of this, the residents of both states still share things in common.
They share the same market square where buying and selling take place. The popular OGUNMAKIN market unites these people.
Health Workers’ Speak
A health officer in one of the PHCs who confided in the reporter disclosed that: “The reason due to lack of understanding, most residents end up opting for treatments in church-owned clinics comparing their efficiency based on service rendered.
It is pertinent for the state government to understand that the state of the primary health facilities in the state is dilapidated as most of these facilities lack enough manpower and equipment.
Again, due to the spread of the deadly disease, the government should endeavour to deem it fit by providing all necessary equipment for the health workers at the grass-root level. Apparently, training on COVID’19 would be an added advantage.
During a one-on-one chat with some of these health workers, most of them their drifts on their preparedness towards the fight of covid19 in the state. It was revealed that most health workers at the Primary Health Centers in Ogun state were not probably trained on how to combat the infectious disease
Encouraging attempt by the government
It would be recalled that the state governor addressed newsmen at his private residence at Iperu-Remo where he made it known that all the three Senatorial districts of the state have recorded at least one case of coronavirus.
“The fight against coronavirus is a relentless one and the reality of it stares us in the face with increasing figures of the number of positives cases and death globally and even on our shore.
“In addition, his government is also establishing drive-through testing facilities, all in an effort to test as many as possible so as to truly confirm that numbers of positive cases we have are a true reflection of the situation in our state,’ the governor was quoted as reported by Business day.
