In a historic move, the Oyo State Government has announced its decision to recruit 3,000 health workers for its 464 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), marking the first significant recruitment in the sector in over 20 years. The announcement was made by the Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, Muideen Olatunji, during a press briefing in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Mr. Olatunji revealed that the recruitment process, which began in 2021, is set to fill the workforce gap in the primary healthcare system across the state’s 33 local government areas. This effort is part of the state’s broader initiative to enhance healthcare delivery by ensuring that each political ward within the state has at least one functional primary healthcare facility.
“We are going to recruit about 3,000 out of the 16,035 applicants who applied through our job portal,” Mr. Olatunji said. “We hope that in less than two months, all the necessary examinations will be completed.”
The recruitment drive comes after the state government completed the renovation of over 200 primary healthcare facilities and upgraded an additional 264 with new equipment. This initiative is aimed at strengthening the primary healthcare system and improving access to quality healthcare for residents across Oyo State.
Governor Seyi Makinde has been at the forefront of this healthcare transformation, having directed the completion of the recruitment process. The move is seen as a significant step in restructuring the health service delivery system in the state.
Mr. Olatunji urged all applicants to stay updated on their application status by regularly checking the job portal for invitations to Computer-Based Tests (CBT) as part of the recruitment process.
“There has been no meaningful recruitment into the primary care sector in over 20 years. This is the first time in nearly two decades that the State Government is recruiting into the primary healthcare system to fill the workforce gap,” Mr. Olatunji emphasized.
He also highlighted the state government’s commitment to ensuring that each political ward is equipped with a functional primary healthcare facility, a policy that has seen substantial progress in recent years.
“As of today, we’ve completed more than 200 facilities, and the remaining ones will be completed in the next few months. Additionally, 264 facilities have been upgraded with new equipment to further enhance their capacity to serve the public,” Mr. Olatunji stated.
The press briefing was attended by other key officials from the Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, including Olayemi Osoko, Sunday Adewole, Kehinde Olabode, Segun Dauda, and Olasumbo Azeez, all of whom expressed their support for the ongoing efforts to improve healthcare services in the state.
This recruitment drive represents a crucial milestone in the Oyo State Government’s ongoing efforts to improve public health infrastructure and ensure that residents have access to essential healthcare services at the grassroots level.
