The Edo State Government, through the Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), recently held a Community Town Hall Meeting to improve primary healthcare services across the state.
The meeting took place at ICTA Hall, John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), Benin City, on Thursday, 21st May 2026. It brought together health professionals, policymakers, community leaders, civil society organizations, development partners, religious leaders, media representatives, and other key stakeholders.
The theme, of the meeting was: “Enhancing Primary Healthcare Delivery through Inclusive Conversations.”
In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary EDSPHCDA, Dr. Coulson Oahimire Osoikhia, appreciated all stakeholders for attending the meeting. He noted that the town hall engagement was imperative because it provided stakeholders the opportunity to meet, interact, raise concerns, make recommendations, and discuss ways to strengthen primary healthcare services in Edo State. According to him, “health is for everyone, and improvement of primary healthcare requires the active involvement of communities, partners, media, religious leaders, civil society and government etc.
Speaking during the meeting, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Edo State on Health, Dr. Andrew Iyamu, stated that primary healthcare is an important part of the State Government’s SHINE agenda.
According to Dr. Iyamu, primary healthcare is important because it brings basic health services closer to families and communities. The state government is not only concerned with providing health services but also with listening to the people, understanding their needs, and addressing their challenges.
A representative of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Mr. Musa Abdullahi, also spoke at the event. He highlighted some of the efforts being made by the NPHCDA to improve healthcare delivery across the country, especially through the training of healthworkers.
Mr. Abdullahi disclosed that the NPHCDA is targeting the training of 120,000 frontline healthcare workers nationwide on integrated service delivery and critical clinical skills. He noted that the training is aimed at closing gaps and improving the quality of care in rural and publicly owned primary healthcare centers.
He revealed that so far 78,000 healthcare workers have been trained, with Edo State accounting for 999 beneficiaries.
As part of the program, the State Immunization Officer EDSPHCDA, Mrs. Elfreda Omogun, gave a presentation on the performance of primary healthcare centers in Edo State. She reviewed the progress recorded so far and stressed the need for stronger collaboration between health workers and Traditional Birth Attendants, TBAs, especially at the community level.
While anchoring the event, the EDSPHCDA Health Educator Mrs Irene Uabor encouraged open discussions, feedback, clarifications among stakeholders that would help improve planning and the delivery of quality primary healthcare services.
Those in attendance included the Special Adviser to the Governor on Market, Mrs. Julianna Ikharo; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information Communication Technology Agency, ICTA, Engr. Ukpebor Jonathan; the Ogida of Evbuogida, Chief Osaruyi Ogida JP; a member of the EDSPHCDA Board of Directors, Hajia Sidikat Obazee; EDSPHCDA Directors; Edo State NPHCDA Coordinator, Mr. Jerry Lawani Osawe; representatives of the media; civil society organizations such as the Red Cross; and development partners including WHO, UNICEF, Future Foundation, John Snow Incorporated, Corona Management Systems, and IVAC.
