Osun State Primary Health Care Centre in Ilemowu Community Left in Ruins, Residents Say

Osun State Primary Health Care Centre in Ilemowu Community Left in Ruins, Residents Say

Osun State, Nigeria — A recent Tracka field assessment of the Primary Healthcare Centre in Ilemowu community, Olaoluwa Local Government Area has exposed a severe breakdown in basic health service infrastructure, leaving thousands of residents without access to essential medical care. The health facility, intended to serve as a frontline point of care for community members — including pregnant women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities — stands in a state of advanced dilapidation, according to field reports and local accounts.

The structure, long neglected, shows clear signs of decay. Large sections of the building have collapsed, roofing sheets are missing, walls are extensively cracked, and doors and windows have been destroyed. Inside, there are no healthcare workers on site and no functional medical equipment, according to community sources, forcing residents to travel significant distances to neighbouring towns for even the most basic medical attention. This reality has resulted in avoidable risks and additional financial burdens for families already grappling with economic pressures.

Residents told field monitors that the collapse and abandonment of the facility have persisted for more than five years, despite repeated complaints and formal petitions submitted to both the Olaoluwa Local Government authorities and the Osun State Hospital Management Board. Multiple letters and appeals, they say, have yielded no visible action or rehabilitation, leaving the community to fend for itself and endure preventable health threats.

The situation in Ilemowu reflects broader systemic challenges facing primary healthcare in parts of Osun State and across Nigeria. A review of primary health services across the state shows that many facilities have suffered from inadequate maintenance, shortages of staff, equipment and essential services, undermining their capacity to deliver quality care. Independent analyses of Osun’s PHCs have highlighted infrastructural deficits, absence of basic amenities and insufficient medical supplies, pointing to a need for urgent intervention by governments and health authorities. 

The gravity of the Ilemowu facility’s decline is stark for a community where most residents rely on the centre as their first port of call for healthcare. Without a functioning PHC, everyday health needs — including antenatal care, immunisations, treatment of common illnesses, and emergency response — must be sought in distant towns, increasing both the time and cost required for care while exposing vulnerable individuals to heightened health risks.

Health advocacy groups say the state’s primary healthcare system, while having seen improvements in some locations, still faces persistent gaps in infrastructure, personnel deployment and medical logistics. Tracka data and community testimonies reveal that some PHCs in Osun remain non‑functional or poorly equipped, underscoring the uneven development of health services across local government areas. 

Local community leaders and residents have renewed their call for urgent government action to address the deplorable state of the Ilemowu health centre. They want a comprehensive rehabilitation of the facility, recruitment and deployment of qualified health workers, installation of reliable utilities like water and electricity, and provision of medical equipment and drugs sufficient to meet the needs of the population.

The collapse of the Ilemowu PHC also raises questions about the effectiveness of primary healthcare funding and oversight mechanisms at both local and state levels. Nigeria’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and state health ministries have frameworks intended to ensure that PHCs reliably serve communities; however, evidence from Ilemowu and other rural locations suggests that policy and implementation remain inconsistent.

Residents say the abandonment of the centre has not only compromised health outcomes but has gradually eroded trust in public service delivery. Pregnant women, in particular, now often depend on costly private alternatives or traditional birth attendants in neighbouring areas because of the lack of accessible maternal care in their own community.

In light of these conditions, health advocates stress the urgency of strengthening primary healthcare infrastructure as part of broader efforts to improve overall health outcomes, reduce maternal and infant mortality, and ensure equitable access to services. They argue that functioning PHCs are essential to Nigeria’s health system, serving as the backbone for preventive care, early illness intervention and community health education.

The findings from Ilemowu add to a growing body of evidence that while policy frameworks and public commitments to healthcare exist, the on‑the‑ground reality in many rural communities remains one of neglect. Without timely and sustained investment, residents will continue to face unnecessary hurdles in accessing basic healthcare, undermining the state’s progress toward universal health coverage and improved quality of life for its citizens.

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