UNILORIN students drill borehole, renovate healthcare centres for Kwara communities

By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal

The University of Ilorin students of Master of Public Health (MPH), have drilled borehole and renovated healthcare facilities in rural communities across six Local Government Area of Kwara.

The MPH students stated this on Tuesday in Ilorin in their various presentation at the MPH Field Posting Report organised by the College of Health Sciences of the University.

The six LGAs are: Asa, Ifelodun, Irepodun, Ilorin West, Ilorin South and Moro LGAs.

Earlier in his welcoming address, at the presentat Prof Ibrahim Katibi, Dean Faculty of Clinical Sciences of the University of Ilorin emphasised the importance of the Field Posting in terms of Public Health.

He observed that the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology has a lot to offer the country and the world as a whole, citing the John Hopkins University and the great role and service they perform as regards giving data and statistics on COVID-19.

Katibi noted that this is a challenge for the Department of Public Health to rise and position itself through collaboration with other bodies so as to generate funds.

Prof. Omotoso Musa, the Head of Department (HOD) of Epidemiology and Community Health, added that the programme aimed at ensuring that the undergraduates gained practical ability and experience from communities where the interventions were carried out, aside theories taught in classes.

He stated that the students engage in 12 weeks field posting experience across Kwara communities.

“The programme is aimed at ensuring students offer community strategy and see the challenges and how to solve such challenges.

“The students also acquired skills and competence in areas of health planning, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation.

“It also also aimed to develop analytical communication and fund raising skills while addressing community priority health needs of the communities,” he said.

Also speaking, Dr. Femi Oladiji, the Coordinator of Field Posting programme, explained that after the posting, they are required to make presentation of their various experience in these communities, after which marks would be awarded.

In their various presentations, the MPH students disclosed that they carried out programmes such as renovation of public health centres, public toilets, drilling of boreholes and purchase of generating set, among other activities were carried out.

The students noted that various health interventions were carried out, such as donation of free drugs to the various communities, screening for HIV/AIDs, hypertension and diabetes.

Others included treatment of skin lesion, immunization exercise, distribution of multivitamin to pregnant women and minor surgical interventions such as circumcision among others

The MPH undergraduates, said that the larger percentage of the population practised open fecal defecation and indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

They also discovered that many of the schools and residential houses lacked toilets and refuse dump sites, calling on the relevant authorities to improve on public health care in the areas.

Edited by Felix Ajide with agency reports

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