Ekiti records improvement in health indices

Ekiti State has made substantial strides in key health indicators, as highlighted in the latest Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).

The NDHS report reflected positive outcomes in maternal and child health, as well as improvements in access to healthcare services across the state.

The report indicated that neonatal, infant, and under five mortality in the state had reduced by over 50 per cent in the past five years.

According to a breakdown of the report, teenage pregnancy has reduced by 30 per cent, unmet need for family planning decreased by 30 per cent, and  facility delivery increased by 14 per cent.

It said, “45,000 additional under-five  lives were saved between 2019 and 2024.

“This represents 75 per cent of children under five that would have died if the state had maintained 2018 under five  mortality figures.”

Also, the state moved from 31st to 5th best performer in neonatal mortality between 2019 and 2024.

According to the 2019 Nigeria NDHS, one in 24 infants died within the first month of births, and one in 11 children died before their fifth birthday.

Dr Oyebanji Filani, Ekiti State commissioner for Health and Human Services, said  that with the NDHS report,  the state had urpassed its expected targets set four years ago.

Filani is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.

He said that  there were key strategies that contributed to the milestone, which was a significant improvement compared to what was obtainable some four years ago.

He said that despite high coverage of selected interventions four years ago, the health outcomes of the state remained suboptimal and lagged behind other southwestern states.

The health commissioner said that several factors were responsible for the commendable stance of the current state of the state’s  health sector, including strong political leadership.

“The support of the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, had led to huge investment in the health sector; regular meeting and reviews, accountability as well as team work.”

He listed other strategies to include building aggressive partnership portfolios through demonstration of results, maintaining fiscal fidelity, and ensuring accountability through which more development partners felt comfortable working with the state.

“All  these strategies had not only improved health outcomes,  but also laid a strong foundation for a resilient and sustainable health system in Ekiti State.”

The DHS findings come as a milestone for Ekiti, illustrating the impact of focused health interventions.

Experts suggest that Ekiti’s model could inspire similar improvements in other states of the federation, advancing the country’s overall healthcare outcomes.