…Recorded Lowest Child Mortality Rates In Southwest,
..Leads Sub-Saharan Africa In Key Indicators
Ondo State has been affirmed as the pacesetter of Primary Health Care delivery in Nigeria, following new data from the Nigeria
Demographic and Health Survey 2024 and a recent national assessment of health worker competence. The State recorded the lowest neonatal mortality rate, infant mortality rate, and under-five mortality rate in the Southwest, and now leads Sub-Saharan Africa in all key child mortality indicators. It also topped the national table on Primary Health Care (PHC) workers’ knowledge in maternal and child health care services.
Dr. Oyebanji Filani, the commissioner for health in Ekiti State and the Chairman of the forum of Commissioners for Health in Nigeria disclosed this at the National summit of state Health Insurance Agencies, 2026 held in Akure.
According to him, he has personally carried out findings to understand why the Ondo State PHC system is doing very well compared to other states. Through unannounced visits to some of the primary health care centres in Ondo State and found that the primary health care system is very strong and the facilities are well strengthened.”
He said this was further validated by the recent national assessment of health workers’ knowledge on maternal and child health care. The evidence demonstrated the high level of human resources for health capacity in the PHC system, with Ondo State leading all other states in the country.”
“What we see in Ondo is a deliberate approach to building systems, not just structures. The combination of skilled health workers, functional facilities, and consistent supervision is why the State is now a reference point for primary health care delivery.”
The Chairman of the forum of Commissioners for Health said it was clear that Ondo’s model deserves national adoption noting that other states have much to learn from the way Ondo has prioritized PHC as the foundation for universal health coverage.
Reacting to the development, the Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka said these achievements are not accidental but the outcomes of deliberate government policies that emphasize continuous capacity building, supportive supervision, and regular professional development for our health workers.
He said Under Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the government at the state and local government levels have consistently encouraged the training and retraining of healthcare workers to ensure they remain abreast of global best practices. In addition, the administration has continued the rehabilitation and upgrading of Primary Health Care Centres across the State.
The Commissioner said several facilities have been renovated and equipped with modern medical equipment, while the steady supply of essential medicines and consumables through the drug revolving fund has enhanced the quality of services available to our people.
Ajaka said the Governor has also demonstrated strong commitment to equitable healthcare by ensuring that health workers are deployed to underserved and hard-to-reach communities, including riverine and rural areas which was why the government recently recruited 930 professionals
He added that the administration equally strengthened health information management through provision of laptops and training of Health Management Information Officers to improve data collection and evidence-based planning.
The permanent secretary, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Francis Akanbiemu hinted that the State Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has shown consistent support, determination, and political will to sustain the gains and successes achieved in the State health sector through the OUR EASE Agenda.
Akanbiemu said the Agency with the support of the government is practicing the drug revolving fund strategy with regular availability of drugs, and decentralized facility financing where financial autonomy is given to health facilities to manage their funds based on needs through quarterly business plans.
He said the efforts of this administration is building a resilient, equitable, qualitative, and effective PHC system that will further improve the current achievements in SDG 3.2 and other health indices with assertion that When citizens see competent, motivated health workers in their PHCs, trust in services increases and utilization is boosted.
In his speech, the Director Medical services, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Paulinus Omodecommended the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for the giant strides in placing Ondo State as one of the states in Sub-Saharan Africa that have met Sustainable Development Goal 3 in areas of child health care, prior to the date set by the United Nations.”
According to him between NDHS 2018 and NDHS 2024, neonatal mortality declined from 30 to 3 deaths per 1,000 live births, infant mortality from 49 to 8 and under-five mortality from 79 to 15. Saying that the results surpassed the SDG 3.2 targets six years ahead of schedule and positioned the State as a model for others
Also, the Director of Family Health, Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr Isaac Aladeniyi noted that the Governor’s giant strides have positioned Ondo as a leader in Sub-Saharan Africa .
He concluded that this progress is built on a whole-of-society approach that delivers early, need-focused care from health promotion and disease prevention to treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.
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