Some students studying for their Master of Public Health (MPH) in the University of Ilorin have embarked on the renovation of health centres in some rural communities, some of which are heavily infested with snakes and reptiles.
Speaking while presenting their field reports to communities in six local government areas of the state in Ilorin on Thursday, the MPH students of the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health said such communities of the field postings included Asa, Ifelodun, Irepodun, Ilorin West, Moro and Ilorin South Local Government Areas.
In their presentations, the students indicated that apart from snakes and reptiles infestations, health challenges faced by the communities included malaria, skin infections, tetanus, poor personal hygiene, and home delivery practice for pregnant women.
The reports also indicated challenges like open defecation practices, dilapidated health centres and lack of toilets among others.
Speaking on the sidelines of the presentations, Head of Department (HOD) of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Ilorin, Professor Musa Ibrahim, explained that the report presentation was in partial fulfilment of requirements for the award of the Master of Public Health degrees.
Ibrahim disclosed that the programme would afford rural experience for the 32 students of MPH of the University who were engaged in the field postings.
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He noted that the students were sent out to rural communities to interact, identify and prioritise the needs of the communities and to come up with appropriate interventions to meet their needs.
Ibrahim observed that the MPH students came out with appropriate interventions and also ensured they put in place the sustainability of such interventions when they were leaving.
The HOD appealed to the Federal Government to assist the university in such outreach programmes to rural communities by students.
He also appealed to all tiers of government to aid such communities, noting that there were numerous challenges witnessed in such areas.
Also speaking, Dr Halima Arikewuyo, one of the MPH students, said most of the health centres in these rural communities were in deplorable conditions with no facilities and drugs.
She said that they were able to renovate the health centres, provide drugs and provide health interventions to members of the communities.
In his remark, Oba Aliyu Abdulkadri, of Agbonda, Irepodun LGA commended the MPH students for the community outreach.
He pointed out that the students interacted with members of the community and exhibited humanitarian gestures by renovating the health care centres and provided water for community use and introduction of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to some communities.
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