The Oyo State Government has received a crucial donation of 22,200 data tools to improve healthcare services across the state’s 33 local government areas. The donation, aimed at enhancing data collection and reporting for family planning services, was made by the Society for Family Health (SFH) in collaboration with Population Services International (PSI) and was officially handed over in Ibadan, the state capital, on Monday.
The Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board Muideen Olatunji, expressed gratitude on behalf of the state government as he received the items. Represented by Adeyemi Adewole, the Assistant Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Olatunji noted that addressing the growing healthcare challenges in the state requires efforts that go beyond the capacity of both state and federal governments.
Highlighting the increasing population and the challenge posed by the migration of skilled healthcare workers, a phenomenon referred to as the “Japa syndrome,” Olatunji emphasized the need for collaboration with partners to tackle the issue effectively. “If we don’t want to fail in the care of the community, the time has rightly come when we must engage in self-care,” he said. “On behalf of the government, I want to commend SFH and PSI for their unwavering support in tackling family planning issues in the state.”
The donated data tools include 15,000 Client Cards, 5,000 Stock Cards, 600 Monthly Summary Forms, 600 Family Planning Registers, 500 Daily Consumption Registers, and 500 Requisition, Issue, and Receipt Forms. These resources are intended to help strengthen data reporting for family planning services across healthcare facilities in the state.
Fidelis Edet, the Business and Strategic Information Manager of DISC-SFH, praised the state’s impressive efforts in family planning documentation. He explained that the donation was a result of a two-week support visit to the state, which included supervisory visits to healthcare facilities. “During this period, we assessed the service delivery in the state following the training provided to healthcare staff on utilizing empathy-based counseling to deliver family planning services,” Edet said.
Solomon Odafe, the Technical Project Adviser at PSI, also commended the state’s performance. PSI, which supports the family planning program across six states, including Oyo, Bauchi, Ogun, Kwara, Katsina, and Adamawa, conducted a Data Quality Assurance visit to Oyo. Odafe confirmed that the data collected by the state aligned with the reports sent to donors, reflecting high-quality services and accurate data reporting.
“These tools will enable healthcare facilities to properly document the services they provide to women, ensuring that they capture important family planning data, which is vital for tracking progress,” he added.
This donation and the ongoing support from SFH and PSI underline the importance of effective data management in improving healthcare services, particularly in rural areas. With the increasing burden of healthcare challenges in the state, the collaboration between the Oyo State Government, SFH, and PSI is vital in ensuring quality and efficient family planning services for the people of Oyo State.
