The Master of Public Health (MPH) students, University of Ilorin have renovated health centres in some communities in Kwara State, including dilapidated structures infested with snakes and reptiles.
The MPH students, Department of Epidemiology and Community Health disclosed this during their Field report Presentations to communities in six Local Government Areas of the state.
Some of the communities for the Field Postings include; Asa, Ifelodun, Irepodun, Ilorin West, Moro and Ilorin South LGAs.
Their presentations indicated that some of the health challenges faced by the people are malaria, skin infections, tetanus, poor personal hygiene, and practising home delivery for pregnant women.
However, it was also shown that wide use of open defecation, dilapidated health centres and lack of toilets among others are parts of the challenges.
Speaking at the sidelines of the presentation, Musa Ibrahim, a professor and Head of Department (HOD) Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Ilorin, explained that the report presentation is in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the Master of Public Health Degrees.
Ibrahim says the programme would afford rural experience for the 32 students of MPH of the University who were engaged in the Field Postings.
He notes that the students were sent out to rural communities to interact, identify and prioritised the needs of the communities and then come up with appropriate intervention to meet their needs.
Ibrahim, who observed that the MPH students come out with appropriate interventions, and also ensure they put in place sustainability of such interventions when they are leaving, appealed to the Federal Government to assist the University in such outreach programs to rural communities by students, admonishing all tiers of government to aid such communities.
Speaking also, Halima Arikewuyo, a medical doctor who is one of the MPH students said most of the health centres in these rural communities were in deplorable conditions with no facilities and drugs.
She says they were able to renovate the health centres, provide drugs and health interventions to members of the communities.
In his remark, Oba Aliyu Abdulkadri, the Oba of Agbonda, Irepodun LGA commended the MPH students for the community outreach.
He points out that the students integrated themselves with members of the community and exhibited humanitarian gestures by renovating the health care centres; provide water for community use and introduction of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to some communities.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
