5,000 Ogun residents benefit from National Health Fellowship Programme — Commissioner

By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

No fewer than 5,000 residents of Ogun State had benefited from medical outreaches of the National Health Fellowship Programme; a flagship intervention of the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, who disclosed at the graduation of Cohort 1.0 and unveiling of Cohort 2.0 of the programme in Abeokuta, the Commissioner described the Fellowship as “a defining milestone” in the state’s health sector reform drive.

She said, “in Ogun State, Fellows were deployed across the 20 local government areas, working in nine key thematic areas to improve service delivery, strengthen accountability, and drive grassroots innovation in the health system”.

According to the Commissioner, the impact of the programme in the last one year has been “practical, measurable, and deeply people-centred.”

She disclosed that through targeted medical outreaches, over 5,000 residents benefitted from free health services, including treatment for malaria, hypertension, and diabetes, alongside the distribution of essential medicines at no cost.

“Safe deliveries were facilitated and funded. Lives were not merely touched — lives were saved,” he stated.

Highlighting the achievements in hygiene and sanitation, Coker noted that thousands benefitted from Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions. Public facilities were renovated, sanitary materials distributed in schools, and sensitization campaigns conducted among students and market communities to entrench preventive health practices.

“In the area of maternal and child health, more than 500 women received education on nutrition, antenatal care, and safe delivery practices”.

She also revealed the development of a digital innovation, MamaReach, aimed at improving emergency referrals and reducing maternal mortality.

“These are not just projects; they are lifelines for vulnerable families,” she said.

“During national campaigns such as the National Immunization Plus Days and the Measles-Rubella vaccination drive, Fellows reportedly served as supervisors, independent monitors, trainers, and mobilisers, enhancing cold chain compliance, reporting accuracy, and coverage monitoring to ensure wider immunisation reach”.

“On Primary Health Care strengthening, over 200 PHCs were monitored and supported, with solar lighting systems installed in underserved facilities, restoring essential services to communities with populations exceeding 3,000 in some instances. Dormant facilities were also revitalised through stakeholder engagement and local ownership initiatives”.

She added that the digital transformation drive under the programme saw PHCs geotagged and mapped online to improve planning, visibility, and access, alongside the deployment of digital directories.

“Beyond field operations, the Fellows underwent structured capacity-building through a Learning Management System covering leadership, public health, financial management, data analysis, and systems thinking. They also benefitted from global exposure through the McKinsey Forward Programme and mentorship engagements”.

Addressing the graduating Fellows, Coker said: “you came as young professionals; you leave as tested leaders. You have demonstrated that when young Nigerians are empowered with knowledge, mentorship, and responsibility, they can transform systems from within.”

Welcoming Cohort 2.0, he urged them to build on the high standards already set, assuring that Ogun State remains committed to strengthening Primary Health Care, advancing Universal Health Coverage, and improving maternal and child health outcomes.

Earlier, Dr Kayode Oladehinde, the Permanent Secretary, Ogun Ministry of Health, said that the initiative was conceived to move Nigeria closer to achieving Universal Health Coverage through a home-grown, sustainable approach.

“It is a product of the National Health Renewal Investment Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Health, aimed primarily at strengthening the nation’s health system, with particular focus on primary health care.

“The core objective of the programme was to engage young health professionals in driving reforms and supporting service delivery at the grassroots.

“This initiative of the Federal Government, which the Ogun State government has fully embraced, has recorded significant success and remains a worthy investment in the future of our health system,” he said.

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