The Ekiti State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving access to comprehensive reproductive health services for women and girls across the state.
The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, identified the continuous training and retraining of healthcare workers as a major component of the government’s efforts to improve health outcomes and advance Universal Health Coverage.
Filani, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Olusola Gbenga-Igotun, stated this in Ado Ekiti on Monday at the conclusion of a five-day training programme for healthcare providers organised in collaboration with Onelife Initiative.
He said the partnership was focused on improving healthcare delivery while ensuring that women had access to reliable information and quality reproductive health services.
“The collaboration is aimed at strengthening service delivery and ensuring that women have access to information and quality services to make informed decisions about their health.
“As a government, we believe no woman should die or suffer complications from preventable reproductive health issues.
“By equipping our health workers and expanding access to information and services, we are building a healthier Ekiti where every woman can make informed choices about her body and her future,” he said.
Filani added that the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji remained committed to ensuring that women, regardless of their age, location or background, could obtain accurate health information, quality services and respectful care.
Earlier, the Director of Public Health, Dr Abayomi Ibrahim, disclosed that doctors, nurses and pharmacists from different levels of healthcare delivery in the state participated in the training.
He said the participants were introduced to updated approaches, tools and medicines for providing reproductive health services.
The Executive Director of Onelife Initiative, Sola Fagorusi, commended the state government for demonstrating political commitment to the programme and pledged continued collaboration to extend the initiative across Ekiti’s 16 local government areas.
Fagorusi said, “The training was designed to equip healthcare providers with updated knowledge, skills and counselling techniques to deliver comprehensive, rights-based and non-judgmental reproductive health services”.
He added that the programme would also help reduce maternal deaths linked to unsafe abortions.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, the Ekiti State Adolescent Health Officer, Mrs Tolulope Adewemimo, expressed appreciation to the government and Onelife Initiative, noting that “The knowledge acquired will enhance service delivery and improve client satisfaction across health facilities in the state”.