Oyo State Inducts Nearly 4,000 New Primary Healthcare Workers

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday formally inducted 3,933 newly recruited primary healthcare workers into the state’s workforce, in a move aimed at strengthening grassroots healthcare delivery.

The induction ceremony was held during an orientation programme at the Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, University College Hospital, Ibadan.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olarenwaju, the governor stated that the mass recruitment is designed to address critical human resource gaps in the health sector. He said it would improve worker-to-population ratios, reduce workload, and enhance service quality and patient satisfaction.

Governor Makinde assured the new employees that their welfare would remain a government priority and promised to renovate and equip at least one standard secondary healthcare facility in each geopolitical zone of the state.

“Healthcare delivery is at the heart of our plan for the people,” Makinde said. “If you take healthcare closer to the people at the grassroots level, 70 per cent of the problems in that sector would have been solved.”

He emphasized that infrastructure alone is insufficient without skilled personnel, stating, “We have renovated Primary Health Centres and provided facilities, but without the human capital, we are wasting our time.”

The governor described the recruitment as merit-based and urged the new workers to see themselves as partners in providing quality, equitable, and compassionate care. He also hinted at continued welfare focus under what he termed “Omituntun 3.0,” the next phase of his administration’s agenda.

Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the World Health Organisation, the Nigeria Medical Association, and local government officials, who commended the governor for the substantial investment in the health sector.

The event was attended by notable dignitaries including the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin; the Chief Judge, Iyabo Yerima; the Secretary to the State Government, Musibau Babatunde; commissioners, local government chairmen, and leaders from labour and religious communities.