In the riverine belt of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, where communities are separated by waterways and access to healthcare is constrained by distance and terrain, a public health intervention is reshaping health-seeking behaviour and strengthening primary healthcare delivery at the grassroots.
At the centre of this effort is the National Health Fellow for Ilaje LGA, Ruth Oluwaseun Macaulay, who has intensified community advocacy to increase the utilisation of Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities across coastal settlements.
The National Health Fellows Programme, supervised by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and implemented through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, is a national initiative designed to strengthen Nigeria’s health system by deploying young professionals to improve service delivery, deepen community engagement, and bridge gaps between health facilities and the people they serve.
In Ilaje, Ruth said the programme is already yielding results across the local government area, which comprises over 400 communities and about 48 PHC facilities serving largely fishing, farming, and trading populations.
According to her, the initiative has strengthened awareness on preventive healthcare and encouraged early health-seeking behaviour, particularly among pregnant women, nursing mothers, adolescents, and other vulnerable groups.
Her interventions have focused on strengthening antenatal care and routine immunisation services through continuous health education within PHC facilities. Key messages include routine checks such as blood pressure and blood sugar screening, breast self-examination, and cervical cancer screening.
Family planning education has also been integrated into outreach activities to promote informed choices on child spacing and reduce maternal and infant health risks in hard-to-reach communities.
Beyond health facilities, she has extended sensitisation drives to secondary schools across Ilaje LGA, engaging adolescents on personal hygiene, menstrual health, peer pressure, substance abuse prevention, and teenage pregnancy.
Health workers in the riverine PHCs were commended for their resilience and commitment to service delivery despite difficult terrain and logistical challenges, which she described as vital to sustaining healthcare access in the communities.
She also noted ongoing advocacy visits encouraging pregnant women to prioritise skilled birth attendance at PHC facilities rather than relying solely on traditional practices, stressing that timely medical intervention significantly improves maternal outcomes.
Ruth emphasised that sustained collaboration among government agencies, traditional rulers, health workers, and community stakeholders is critical to improving healthcare utilisation and overall health outcomes in riverine communities.
She added that the programme is creating new opportunities for partnerships that will deepen community ownership of health interventions and strengthen service delivery at the grassroots.
Looking ahead, she expressed optimism that continued engagement under the National Health Fellows Programme will consolidate existing gains and expand access to quality healthcare for underserved populations.
She maintained that stronger utilisation of PHC facilities remains central to reducing preventable diseases and improving wellbeing across Ilaje and beyond.
The National Health Fellows Programme continues to serve as a strategic national intervention aimed at reinforcing Nigeria’s primary healthcare system through youth-driven innovation, community engagement, and sustained grassroots impact.
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