The Oyo State Government has received 22,200 data tools for distribution across healthcare facilities in the state’s 33 local government areas.
The items were donated by the Society for Family Health in collaboration with Population Services International during a handover ceremony in Ibadan on Monday.
Receiving the tools on behalf of the state government, the Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Muideen Olatunji, emphasized the importance of partnerships in addressing healthcare challenges. Represented by the Assistant Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Adeyemi Adewole, he acknowledged the growing burden on the healthcare system, worsened by a shrinking workforce due to the “Japa” syndrome—the emigration of skilled professionals.
Population is increasing daily, but our workforce is dwindling. Japa syndrome is making it even more difficult. Even when we recruit more health workers, they leave. We cannot stop them, but we must ensure that healthcare delivery is not compromised, Olatunji said.
He commended the Society for Family Health and Population Services International for their continued support in strengthening family planning services in Oyo State, noting that such collaborations have contributed to the state’s healthcare performance.
Speaking on behalf of the Society for Family Health, Fidelis Edet, Business and Strategic Information Manager of DISC-SFH, detailed the components of the donated data tools, which include 15,000 client cards, 5,000 stock cards, 600 monthly summary forms, 600 family planning registers, 500 daily consumption registers, and 500 requisition, issue, and receipt forms.
Edet explained that the donation followed a two-week assessment of healthcare facilities in Oyo, aimed at evaluating service delivery and adherence to training on empathy-based counseling for family planning. He added that the donated tools would strengthen data reporting and improve healthcare planning in the state.
Also speaking, Solomon Odafe, Technical Project Adviser at Population Services International, noted that the program, implemented by the Society for Family Health with Population Services International’s support, is active in six states: Bauchi, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Katsina, and Adamawa.
During their assessment in Ibadan North, Ibadan South-West, Akinyele, and Ona-Ara local government areas, Odafe said the team conducted Data Quality Assurance to verify the accuracy of reported figures on family planning services.
Our findings were positive. The data reported aligns with the actual services provided, which shows that the state government is performing well. These tools are essential for accurate record-keeping in hospitals, ensuring that every service rendered is properly documented, Odafe said.
The Oyo State Government reaffirmed its commitment to improving healthcare delivery and called on stakeholders to continue supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening the health sector.
