Mrs. Susan Adene and her year old daughter received treatment from the newly renovated Primary Health Centre at Illushi community, Esan South East LGA in Edo State.

Mrs. Susan Adene and her year old daughter

The Primary Health Centre in Ilushi, Esan South-East of Edo state had been in a state of disrepair for the last 8 years and underserved the 20,000 population of the riverine community and environs. The badly dilapidated Primary Health Care made accessing care for mothers and children challenging.

UNICEF and the World Health Organisation report indicate that every single day Nigeria loses about 2,300 under 5 year olds and 145 women of childbearing age. Most of these deaths are preventable however, because of long distance from health facility, lack of skilled workers, and poor services women and children continue to die.

The TY Danjuma Foundation through Hope for the Unborn Child Foundation is contributing to removing these barriers to healthcare in Ilushi community by renovating the Primary Health Centre and providing portable water to improve access to healthcare under hygienic conditions. The intervention also provided for a power generating set to enhance the quality of services at the Centre.

Patronage has increased at the health centre since the renovation work completed in August. Antenatal registration has increased from a monthly average of 7 to 20, facility delivery increased from a monthly average of 6 to 13, immunization increased from an average of 20 to 60 monthly and general consultation has increased from an average of 10 to 50 on monthly basis.

The community and Esan South-East LGA demonstrated their support for the project by donating furniture, medical equipment and tools for use at the PHC.