The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening family planning services and ensuring sustainable healthcare delivery across the state. This commitment was made at the Oyo State Bi-Annual Stakeholders Coordination Meeting, organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Health and the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, in collaboration with the Society for Family Health. The meeting focused on strengthening family planning integration, government ownership, and accountability.
The Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Muideen Olatunji, stated that the changing funding landscape had made it necessary for the government to strengthen its institutions and take greater responsibility for sustaining essential health programmes. He disclosed that the state invested N50 million in family planning commodities in 2025 and had earmarked another N50 million for 2026.
To improve service delivery, particularly at the primary healthcare level, the state has recruited nearly 4,000 healthcare personnel. Additionally, Ward Development Committees across the state’s 351 political wards are being leveraged to promote community participation and increase awareness of family planning services.
Hon. Olayanju Kazeem, representing the ALGON Chairman, Oyo State Chapter, called for increased awareness of family planning among women and families. He stressed the importance of providing accurate information to enable individuals to make informed decisions, particularly in view of prevailing economic realities.
The Iya Loja of Ibadan Land, Alhaja Risiwa Oyinlola Amiringun, also called for sustained sensitisation and training of market women on family planning. She noted that inadequate information and limited literacy could affect women’s understanding and utilisation of available services.
The Society for Family Health and Delivering Innovation in Self-Care 2.0 interventions have trained over 1,000 healthcare workers from 573 health facilities on family planning and counselling for choice. The training equipped healthcare workers with the knowledge to address myths and misconceptions about family planning methods and provide accurate information to clients.
An assessment presented at the meeting showed that Oyo State recorded 65.2 per cent institutional readiness for family planning, while nine local government areas had incorporated key activities into their routine programmes. Stakeholders stressed the need for stronger coordination, sustained investment, and effective community engagement to ensure family planning remains an integral part of the state’s primary healthcare system.
Key points
- Oyo State government invests N100 million in family planning commodities for 2025 and 2026.
- Nearly 4,000 healthcare personnel recruited to strengthen health workforce.
- Over 1,000 healthcare workers trained on family planning and counselling for choice.
