MID- YEAR BUDGET APPRAISAL: OGHA TASKS HEALTH MINISTRY, OTHERS ON IMPROVED SERVICE DELIVERY

Ogun State House of Assembly has called on the State Ministry of Health and the Hospitals Management Board to  strive harder towards achieving efficient, accessible and quality healthcare delivery; while strengthening internal systems to enhance fiscal performance and service impact across the State.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Hon. Wahab Haruna, gave the charge during the commencement of the 2025 mid-year budget performance appraisal at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Haruna acknowledged the Ministry’s efforts in the delivery of quality health care to the people; urging its leadership to deepen performance efforts by prioritizing service excellence and judicious use of public funds in line with the State  developmental goals.

In his remarks, the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye commended the Ministry for taking advantage of the projects under ' Impact Office' to boost health care infrastructure in the State; soliciting more funding for the Ministry to do more in rendering quality healthcare delivery to the people.

Earlier while reeling out the Ministry’s mid year financial performance report, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, stated that the State Government in partnership with the World Bank had upgraded 75 primary health care centres across the State to improve on primary care service delivery.

She added that government had also strengthen the human capital in the health sector through the recent employment of 472 Community Health Extension Workers for the primary health centres in the State, while additional 415 personnel were employed into the State Hospitals Management Board to boost service delivery.

The Commissioner noted that the Ministry generated a total of ₦99m; which represented 43.64% of the Ministry’s annual revenue target which was generated from tuition and hostel fees at the School of Nursing, as well as hospital and laboratory renewal fees.

Dr. Coker stated that the Ministry recorded a recurrent expenditure performance of 32.43% within the first six months; while requesting for more funding of capital projects for the Ministry.

She further highlighted other achievements within the period under review to include the regular supply of essential drugs, maintenance of State ambulances for emergency response, commemoration of key global health observance days and facilitation of ICT training to enhance staff capacity and operational efficiency.

The Commissioner appreciated the Dapo Abiodun-led administration for its continued support of the health sector and emphasized the need to align  the development of the State health system with State economic development to prevent service deficits. 

On her part, the Permanent Secretary, State Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Yinka Elemide, noted that the Board returned 41.83% recurrent achievement, while its revenue for tye period under review stood at 54.9%. She reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to ensuring improved healthcare service delivery across all State-owned hospitals.

Other agencies that had their budget performances appraised by the State lawmakers included the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, State Agency for the Control of AIDS as well as the State and General Hospitals under the State Hospital Management Board.