Even though Igbokofi, one of the rural areas in Ogun State, Nigeria, is only a few hours’ drive from Lagos, the country’s busy economic hub, it still faces significant neglect, notably inadequate healthcare facilities. In this article, SEGUN ODUNAYO ventures deep into the tranquil village to reveal the severe health emergency quietly affecting its inhabitants.
More than seven years have passed since the ordeal, but for Folake Olaniyi, the recollection was still vivid, as though it occurred merely days ago.
Her features, etched with suffering and unresolved fury, revealed the burden of a grief untouched by the passage of time.
An inhabitant of Igbokofi village in Yewa, Ogun State, named Olaniyi, felt an overwhelming sense of happiness in 2017 upon learning that she was expecting another child.
During this pregnancy, medical examinations verified that she would have a baby boy, which she greatly desired following her previous deliveries of only daughters.
However, that happiness was fleeting. The lack of a working healthcare facility in the area would quickly dash her hopes and bring her to the brink of death.
Gazing into the horizon, Olaniyi stopped to collect her thoughts before reliving the agonizing event that would reshape her existence indefinitely.
When I became pregnant, I wasn’t residing here,” she said. “However, I came back to Igbokofi with my kids after encountering difficulties at my previous location. My spouse simply walked out of our home one day and didn’t come back. In this community, I reached out to local residents who were involved in healthcare professions. As delivery approached, I departed from my residence around 6:30 p.m., heading for what serves as their health center; however, I was instructed to return since I hadn’t entered active labor.
That evening, when the pain became more intense, I went back. Despite their efforts to help with the delivery, nothing progressed over several hours, leaving me in extreme agony. Close to 1 a.m., they suggested moving me to Ijoun, a village located far from Igbokofi. Once there, intravenous fluids were administered to speed things up; however, there continued to be no improvement. As dawn approached, the medical team noted significant blood loss, and upon contacting a surgeon for intervention, we learned that he was out of town.
Taking a moment to compose herself, she went on, “I was told to go to Aiyetoro, which is an even more distant village. Upon arrival, they quickly took me into the operating room as the lead physician hastened off to purchase blood for me. Sadly, my child was born lifeless, and I continued to bleed heavily.”
Things escalated negatively, leading to another urgent situation where I was taken to Laantoro in Abeokuta. Upon arrival, I was nearly unconscious, hovering between life and death. Medical staff required my husband’s approval to continue treatment; however, my brother-in-law, who accompanied me during the entire trip, signed in his place.
Following roughly a month in the medical facility, Folake believed she had overcome the toughest part. However, destiny had one more setback awaiting her.
“When I left the hospital, I moved in with my brother-in-law in Ijoun. At that time, I could not walk without assistance and required help getting from the car into the house. Even three months later, I continued to feel unwell and sought further medical care. It was then revealed that my uterus had sustained severe damage during childbirth and would have to be removed,” she shared, her voice laden with sorrow.
Harvest of maternal deaths
An elderly man named Idowu Bamgbose from Igbokofi was sitting outside his humble abode, relishing the refreshing evening air, when
Saturday Punch
He approached her. Her face carried an expression that mixed warmth with unshed grief—remembrances that continued to sting sharply.
Not long ago, his home was brimming with joy when one of his sons wed the woman he adored. However, happiness was short-lived as sorrow took over instead.
He started, his voice laced with anguish, “This event took place in 2021.” “My daughter-in-law went into labor around 2 a.m. We felt lost and unsure about how to proceed. Ultimately, she was taken to a traditional healing center in our village. Regrettably, even though the local healers did their utmost, she passed away before dawn.”
My daughter-in-law passed away during childbirth due to the lack of an adequate healthcare center nearby. It has caused us great distress to see the condition of our local health clinic, forcing us to journey for miles merely to receive proper medical assistance.
Another community member, Kunle Garb, supported Elder Bamgbose’s views, stating that the village had turned into a tragic site where numerous women perished due to complications during childbirth.
We have lost numerous women here. It is truly devastating,” he stated gravely. “Many families remain silent due to fear or embarrassment. However, I am aware of individuals such as Tosin Ayeni, who passed away from blood loss during delivery. We also had Silifat Kudebi and Maria Ogunyomi, both of whom perished while attempting to bring new life into the world. This continues to occur.
Garb proceeded to criticize the increasing presence of unqualified medical professionals in the area.
“Untrained nurses and doctors use all sorts of unregulated tools and methods to deliver babies here. It’s dangerous. People still go to them because we don’t have a government-owned health facility anywhere nearby. It’s either them or nothing,” he lamented.
Crossing borders for Survival
Ruth Bamgbole, the spouse of the village leader, provided a surprising perspective on the community’s frantic quest for medical care.
As she points out, numerous locals now cross over to the neighboring Benin Republic for healthcare services.
We see the Benin Republic as our healthcare refuge,” she stated. “We frequently travel there solely for getting shots or purchasing essential medications. It’s more convenient than going to Ijoun or Abeokuta. The border with Benin is practically right next to us. However, as soon as they know we’re from Nigeria, they increase the costs of all goods. This makes things consistently challenging.
Ruth highlighted that women and older people are disproportionately affected by this difficulty.
The responsibility weighs more heavily on us women, particularly concerning our children and elderly parents. When we cannot afford treatments in Benin, we turn to Ijoun. However, the numerous losses experienced within this community are heartbreaking. Although some individuals here have acquired basic medical skills, their efforts fall short of what you would find at a well-equipped healthcare facility.
Elder Bamgbose sighed, gently shaking his head as he remarked, “Indeed, it’s accurate. In the Benin Republic, hospitals impose twice the charges on us. For whatever fee they set for locals, they increase it twofold when they identify us as Nigerians.”
Troubling statistics
In 2020, more than 80,000 Nigerian women lost their lives due to complications related to pregnancy, including issues like obstructed labor, heavy bleeding, pre-eclampsia, and eclampsia.
The World Health Organization suggests having one doctor for approximately every 600 individuals; nonetheless, Nigeria’s current ratio stands at about one physician for every 4,000 to 5,000 patients.
The United Nations recommends that health care should make up approximately 15 percent of a nation’s yearly budget; however, Nigeria frequently fails to meet this target.
In 2020, Nigeria reported a maternal mortality rate of 1,047 deaths for every 100,000 live births, ranking as the third-highest such figure in Africa and significantly exceeding the United Nations’ aim of reducing this number to 70 deaths per 100,000 worldwide within half a decade.
According to a 2023 report from the Nigerian Primary Health Care Development Agency, more than 60 percent of Nigeria’s rural residents do not have access to operational primary health care centers. A significant number of these facilities suffer from insufficient staffing or deficiencies in fundamental resources like power supply, potable water, and necessary medications.
How can a healthcare center deteriorate?
Mr. Ogunyomi, an older gentleman, has witnessed firsthand how the formerly operational healthcare center in his town fell into disuse. He served as a security guard at the facility until it stopped operating back in 2008.
When this healthcare center first opened, it only had two nurse attendants: Mummy Lekan and Mummy Fatima. Their responsibilities included looking after both patients and expectant mothers. At that time, everything functioned smoothly with consistent drug supplies. However, issues started arising when bats invaded the rooftop, causing damage and leaving droppings everywhere, resulting in an unpleasant odor throughout the facility.
“This caused many individuals to leave; they mentioned they could not remain in such an unpleasant setting. It was at this point that deterioration began, and people ceased utilizing the center. Ultimately, the supply of drugs also came to an end,” he clarified.
Another community member, Thomas Sagunbi, verified the previous employee’s story.
It was once a bustling center, but we never thought it would deteriorate so badly,” he explained. “It was commonly used for delivering babies of pregnant women, yet when the smell became intolerable, everyone left. Eventually, the employees ceased coming to their jobs.
Alternative not in use
Approximately five minutes away from the run-down primary health care facility, there is another building erected for the community by the National Boundary Commission.
In 2004, this facility was donated along with other structures, but it appears that it has not been utilized at all.
Garb, a local inhabitant who previously talked to our reporter, stated, “In 2004, the National Boundary Commission gifted a multifaceted facility consisting of a police station, marketplace, workshop, school, and healthcare center to the community. However, these facilities have not been utilized since their donation.”
Upon visiting the structure, it became evident that it was designed similar to a healthcare facility; however, it did not contain beds, equipment, or any medical provisions.
The distance made recruitment unfeasible.
Ogun health commissioner
In a discussion with our reporter at her workspace in Abeokuta, Dr. Tomi Coker, who serves as the Ogun State Commissioner for Health, pointed out the difficulties encountered in tackling the scarcity of medical centers in Igbokofi and across the broader Yewa region.
He specifically pointed out the challenge related to hiring healthcare staff because of the area’s distant location.
Yewa has a remote landscape, making it tough to locate skilled professionals who are willing to work there. Achieving a good work-life balance means working close to home since one would typically have stronger ties within their local community. Personally, I moved back from England to work here as I feel deeply connected to my fellow residents and wish to contribute to their well-being. Although we attempt recruitment efforts, they often face difficulties due to the region’s remoteness. Expecting individuals residing in Abeokuta to move to Yewa for employment isn’t reasonable.
We make an effort within our organization to guarantee a fair allocation of personnel. I’ve urged both traditional and local government officials to offer us five competent individuals whom we could train as community-based midwives, considering we have representation from every local administration. However, applications from Yewa are seldom submitted. We have explored various options.
When questioned about why the structure erected by the National Boundary Commission stands idle, the commissioner mentioned that numerous towns and political figures construct healthcare centers without coordinating with the Ministry of Health, leading to complications.
“There are numerous communities that have constructed basic health care centers without engaging the Ministry of Health. Politicians often proceed with building projects without taking into account essential factors such as personnel, medications, and other requirements. As a result, these facilities are left abandoned,” she stated.
Nigeria requires additional primary health care centers —
Experts
Dr. Kunle Ashimi, who previously chaired the Nigerian Medical Association’s Abeokuta branch, emphasized that Nigeria needs significantly more than just the current network of primary health centers to provide high-quality care at the local community level.
He stated, “To address the bulk of health concerns faced by Nigerians—which are mostly manageable within the primary care setting—the country requires more than 30,000 primary healthcare centers. These facilities should handle routine cases; however, instances involving complex conditions or non-communicable diseases needing specialized treatment ought to be escalated to secondary healthcare providers like district and provincial hospitals.”
Cases that exceed their capabilities should be referred to tertiary hospitals, such as teaching institutions and specialized medical centers. Routine conditions like malaria should instead be handled at primary health care facilities.
At the Federal Medical Centre in Abeokuta, Dr. Olorunfemi Solomon, who works as a resident doctor, emphasized that primary health care centers should deliver top-notch services that include prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
“Primary healthcare must provide integrated services that encompass prevention, cure, and rehabilitation for people living in communities. These services include health education, regular examinations, management of prevalent ailments such as malaria, and ongoing support for long-term issues like diabetes and various infectious and non-communicable diseases. Patients should be referred to specialized secondary facilities only when their needs exceed what primary care can handle,” he emphasized.
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
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