JDPC Media

The Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Ibadan, with support from the International Budget Partnership (IBP), has intensified efforts to improve maternal healthcare delivery at the grassroots through a series of community outreach programmes across Oyo State.

The engagements, held in Oluyole, Egbeda, Akinyele, Ona Ara, and Lagelu Local Government Areas, were designed to increase patronage of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and ensure citizens’ feedback informs government action for better maternal and child health outcomes.

The sessions brought together women of childbearing age, adolescent girls, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) to share their experiences accessing PHCs and highlight key barriers to quality healthcare, including inadequate facilities, shortage of essential drugs, and poor staff attitudes.

In Oluyole, the Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Olayinka Akanmu, and Technical Officer, Emiade Riskat, sensitized participants on the range of services available in PHCs and assured them that concerns raised would be addressed promptly. Similar commitments were made by health officials during the engagements in Egbeda, Akinyele, Ona Ara, and Lagelu LGAs.

Speaking at one of the sessions, a participant from Egbeda emphasized the importance of strengthening PHCs, saying: “Primary Healthcare Centres must work — they are the first point of care for mothers and children in our communities.”

The outreach in Ona Ara LGA also served as a feedback session, where community members reflected on their experiences using PHCs and collectively charted a path toward more inclusive and effective service delivery. Health officers present pledged renewed commitment to transparency, accountability, and improved responsiveness at the facility level.

JDPC Ibadan’s Head of Democracy and Governance, Jide Bamgbose noted that the initiative is part of a broader effort to make healthcare delivery in Oyo State more citizen-centered. “Through these dialogues, we are strengthening accountability mechanisms and ensuring that the voices of women and vulnerable groups shapes health policies and practices at the local level,” the officer said.

The community outreaches form part of JDPC’s ongoing partnership with the International Budget Partnership, aimed at promoting participatory governance, budget transparency, and improved service delivery in the healthcare sector, especially maternal healthcare.

JDPC Ibadan reiterated its commitment to sustaining community-led feedback platforms and working with government agencies to ensure that maternal healthcare services remain accessible, inclusive, and of quality for every woman and child in Oyo State.