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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The World Bank-supported Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project has transformed primary healthcare delivery with the revitalisation and upgrade of 61 Primary Healthcare Centres across the three senatorial districts of the Edo State.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole who disclosed this yesterday in Benin City, said the intervention has improved access to quality healthcare services, particularly for women, children and residents of underserved communities across the state as well as improved infrastructure, essential medical equipment and a better working environment for healthcare professionals.
The 61 revitalised facilities comprise 21 in Edo South, 20 in Edo Central and 20 in Edo North senatorial districts.
He said the project has impacted the state through remarkable progress in strengthening primary healthcare infrastructure, expanding immunization coverage, improving maternal and child healthcare services, and enhancing healthcare delivery systems.
“Through the IMPACT Project, Edo State is witnessing a clear transformation in primary healthcare delivery. Sixty-one health facilities have been revitalized, maternal health services have improved and immunisation outreach has expanded significantly.
“We are gradually closing long-standing gaps in access to healthcare services. We are grateful to Governor Monday Okpebholo for his commitment to ensuring that the project continues to thrive in Edo State, while also appreciating the World Bank for its invaluable support.”
Dr. Oshomhole disclosed that 146 healthcare facilities across the state are currently benefiting from support for the procurement of essential drugs and medical commodities, immunisation outreach programmes and minor infrastructural repairs, adding that the intervention has helped reduce stock-outs of critical medicines and improved the consistent availability of healthcare supplies required for effective service delivery.
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“Our focus remains on ensuring that every Edo resident, regardless of location, has access to safe, affordable and reliable healthcare services”, the Commissioner added.
Executive Secretary of the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), Dr. Coulson Oahimire Osoikhia, said the project has strengthened the operational capacity of the state’s primary healthcare system.
He disclosed that more than 200 laptops and tablets have been procured under the initiative, while monitoring and evaluation officers have been trained to improve data management and reporting systems.
“The IMPACT Project has strengthened the operational capacity of our primary healthcare system. We are witnessing improved service delivery in immunization, with outreach activities becoming more targeted and reaching more communities across the state,” he said.
Osoikhia further revealed that malaria testing and treatment are provided free of charge in all 146 IMPACT-supported health facilities, adding that healthcare workers have received adequate training to deliver quality healthcare services.
He also noted that the deployment of 192 Skilled Birth Attendants (SBAs) across Edo State has contributed significantly to improvements in maternal and newborn healthcare outcomes, adding that facility-based deliveries attended by trained health professionals have increased by more than 100 percent since the project became fully operational in 2024.
Project Manager, Dr. Osayomore Idemudia, said implementation of the programme has remained community-driven and focused on measurable outcomes.
