Edo @35: Health reforms under Governor Monday Okpebholo

By Kingsley Ohens

As Edo State prepares to mark 35 years since its creation on August 27, 2026, attention is increasingly turning to the policies, programmes and reforms that are shaping the state’s development trajectory.

One sector that has witnessed considerable attention under the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo is healthcare.

Since assuming office, the administration has placed healthcare firmly within its SHINE Agenda, with emphasis on improving access, strengthening primary healthcare, upgrading health infrastructure, developing the medical workforce, expanding health insurance coverage and ensuring that residents can access quality care without unnecessary financial barriers.

From malaria control to maternal and newborn health, health insurance, primary healthcare, specialist services and disease surveillance, the administration’s interventions point to an effort to build a more accessible and resilient health system.

*Accelerating the fight against malaria*

One of the major public-health interventions has been the partnership with the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihoods Fund to strengthen implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Malaria.

Through the programme, malaria prevention, diagnosis, treatment, commodity availability and health-data reporting have been strengthened across government-owned healthcare facilities.

Government-owned primary and secondary health facilities across Edo have received malaria commodities and Logistics Management Information System reporting tools, improving the capacity of facilities to document malaria-related activities and support evidence-based planning.

The administration also secured a major intervention guaranteeing free malaria testing and treatment in government hospitals for two years, particularly providing relief for low-income and vulnerable residents.

More than two million insecticide-treated mosquito nets are also being distributed to communities as part of the broader malaria prevention strategy.

The state’s malaria response has been complemented by the World Bank-supported IMPACT Project, which focuses on improving immunisation, maternal and child health, neonatal services, malaria control, health information systems and the quality of primary healthcare delivery.

*Investing in healthcare workers and professional capacity*

Healthcare infrastructure cannot function effectively without competent personnel. This explains the emphasis placed on training and capacity development.

More than 1,200 healthcare workers have undergone capacity-building interventions across secondary healthcare facilities and the three senatorial districts, while malaria case-management training has also been extended across the state.

The digital transformation of primary healthcare has equally received attention. Health workers across the 18 Local Government Areas have been trained in the use of digital health-information systems, with laptops and tablets deployed to support real-time data collection and reporting.

This shift from largely manual reporting to digital health information management is important because accurate and timely data allows government and health managers to identify gaps, monitor performance and make better-informed decisions.

*Expanding health insurance and financial protection*

Another important component of the administration’s health reform agenda is the expansion and strengthening of health insurance.

The Edo State Health Insurance Commission has continued to implement the Equity Health Plan for vulnerable residents, helping to reduce the financial burden of healthcare on disadvantaged households.

Under the administration, vulnerable residents have been enrolled under the State Equity Plan, while statewide health-insurance data transmission has been digitised and a comprehensive customer-service and support framework introduced.

The current Edo State Health Insurance platform describes the Equity Health Plan as a free plan for vulnerable residents, with coverage including consultations, laboratory investigations, radiology, medicines, consumables and selected surgeries.

The direction is consistent with the broader objective of moving Edo towards Universal Health Coverage by reducing dependence on out-of-pocket payments.

*Strengthening oxygen and emergency-care capacity*

The administration has also invested in improving the availability of critical medical infrastructure.

Three oxygen gas plants have been activated and commissioned at key health facilities, including Edo State University Teaching Hospital, Iyamoh; Auchi; and Government Hospital, Usen.

Such investments are particularly important because reliable oxygen supply is indispensable in emergency medicine, maternal and newborn care, surgery, intensive care and the management of severe respiratory and infectious diseases.

*Rehabilitating and expanding healthcare infrastructure*

Healthcare infrastructure remains another major component of the administration’s intervention.

The government is implementing phased rehabilitation of public hospitals and primary healthcare facilities, with emphasis on strengthening Comprehensive Emergency Maternal and Newborn Care services.

The administration also facilitated the take-off of the National Obstetric Fistula Centre in Edo State by making available 25 hectares of land to the Federal Government for the project. The initiative is expected to strengthen specialised maternal healthcare and expand access to treatment for women affected by obstetric fistula.

At the grassroots level, ultrasound machines have been deployed across the 18 Local Government Areas, improving diagnostic capacity, particularly for maternal and reproductive healthcare. The World Bank-supported IMPACT programme confirmed the distribution of ultrasound machines to Medical Officers of Health across all 18 LGAs.

The Edo Specialist Hospital has equally benefited from infrastructure and equipment upgrades, including a new transformer, air-conditioning systems and other interventions aimed at improving its capacity to deliver tertiary healthcare.

*A stronger Edo Specialist Hospital*

Perhaps one of the more significant developments in tertiary healthcare is the growing capacity of the Edo Specialist Hospital.

In July 2026, the hospital announced full accreditation for residency training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, while accreditation processes for Family Medicine and Dentistry were also completed.

The hospital also disclosed that the state government had approved the absorption of 126 contract workers into the Edo State workforce and authorised additional recruitment, resulting in more than 290 direct employments.

The hospital has further expanded reproductive-health services with the provision of IVF equipment and strengthened maternal and newborn services, including Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care.

These developments are significant because a modern health system is not defined only by buildings and equipment but also by its ability to train specialists, retain professionals and provide advanced medical services within the state.

*Revitalising primary healthcare*

Governor Okpebholo’s health agenda has placed considerable emphasis on primary healthcare, recognising that PHCs constitute the first point of contact between citizens and the health system.

The Oredo Modern Primary Healthcare Centre has been completed and furnished, while several other PHC facilities across the state are undergoing upgrades.

More than 220 PHCs have also been equipped with digital tools and computers to improve health-data management, reporting and patient records.

The administration’s primary healthcare strategy is being pursued in partnership with development partners, including the World Bank, WHO and other stakeholders. The 2026 PHC Taskforce meeting reaffirmed the state’s commitment to strengthening PHCs, improving accountability and ensuring that communities are not excluded from quality healthcare.

*Maternal and newborn healthcare*

Maternal and newborn healthcare has also remained central to the reform agenda.

Thousands of maternal and newborn health commodities, including MAMA kits and delivery kits, have been deployed to healthcare facilities under relevant maternal and newborn health interventions.

The rehabilitation of facilities for Comprehensive Emergency Maternal and Neonatal Care, combined with the deployment of ultrasound equipment and the strengthening of specialist maternal services, is designed to improve early diagnosis, emergency response and referral systems.

The establishment of the National Obstetric Fistula Centre further adds a specialised dimension to Edo’s maternal-health infrastructure.

*Disease prevention and public health response*

Beyond malaria, the administration has continued to strengthen the state’s response to infectious diseases.

Lassa fever testing, case management and infection-prevention commodities have been distributed to designated facilities, while free treatment has been provided for confirmed Lassa fever patients.

The approach reflects a broader public-health strategy focused not only on treating illness but also on surveillance, prevention, early diagnosis and rapid intervention.

*Traditional medicine and inclusive healthcare*

The revival of the Edo State Traditional Medicine Board also represents an attempt to strengthen regulation and institutional oversight of traditional medicine practice.

The Board’s statutory responsibilities include the registration and supervision of traditional medicine practitioners and facilities, development of standards, promotion of herbal research and training in traditional medicine.

Its revival therefore creates an opportunity to bring greater regulation, documentation, research and quality control to an important component of healthcare in the state.

*The bigger picture*

As Edo marks 35 years of statehood, the health-sector interventions under Governor Monday Okpebholo present a picture of a government attempting to address healthcare from several directions simultaneously — prevention, primary healthcare, health insurance, infrastructure, medical personnel, specialist services, digitalisation and disease control.

The most important measure of these reforms, however, will ultimately be their impact on the ordinary Edo resident: whether a pregnant woman in a rural community can reach a functional health centre; whether a child with malaria can receive prompt treatment; whether vulnerable families can access healthcare without financial hardship; whether hospitals have qualified personnel and reliable equipment; and whether residents can obtain specialist treatment without having to travel outside the state.

The administration’s stated commitment to Universal Health Coverage and its continuing investments in primary and tertiary healthcare suggest that healthcare is being treated not merely as a social service but as a critical component of Edo State’s human-capital development.

As the countdown to Edo @35 continues, these interventions form part of the emerging record of the state’s healthcare transformation under Governor Monday Okpebholo.

Kingsley Ohens