By Ovasa Ogaga,
The Delta State Government has pushed back against claims that it prioritises flashy infrastructure over grassroots healthcare, insisting that primary healthcare remains a core focus of the Oborevwori administration.
Reacting to recent social media comments by health influencer Aproko Doctor suggesting that politicians favour flyovers and ultra-modern hospitals while neglecting primary healthcare centres, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, said the narrative does not reflect realities in Delta State.
“That is not true in Delta State. While roads and flyovers are visible across the state, healthcare has always been a major priority of this administration,” Onojaeme said.
He disclosed that within two years, the Oborevwori administration has renovated 150 primary healthcare centres across the three senatorial districts out of the state’s 441 health facilities, with another 150 centres already being scoped. According to him, this will bring the total number of upgraded PHCs to 300, significantly improving access to quality healthcare at the community level and easing pressure on secondary and tertiary hospitals.
Onojaeme said the state’s free maternal and under-five healthcare programme has continued to yield positive results, including reductions in maternal and infant mortality and relief from healthcare costs for families. He added that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori recently approved the release of ₦2 billion to sustain the programme, alongside regular funding to strengthen Universal Health Coverage.
The commissioner noted that state-owned hospitals now enjoy full financial autonomy to retain and utilise 100 per cent of their internally generated revenue, enabling quicker procurement of drugs, better equipment maintenance and improved patient care.
On specialised services, Onojaeme said dialysis machines have been installed across state hospitals, cutting waiting times and reducing the cost of dialysis from about ₦70,000 to ₦45,000 per session. He added that CT scan machines at Warri Central Hospital and Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara, are already enhancing diagnosis of cancer, stroke and internal injuries, while new echocardiography machines are improving cardiac care.
To further expand access to advanced diagnostics, he revealed that the state has ordered three MRI machines for the Asaba Specialist Hospital, Central Hospital Warri and DELSUTH Oghara, ensuring coverage across all three senatorial districts.
“While some states do not have a single MRI machine, Delta State is procuring three at once. Delivery is expected by April, as site preparations are already ongoing,” he said.
Beyond infrastructure, Onojaeme said the government is strengthening manpower development through the establishment of a new College of Health Sciences at Ovrode in Isoko North Local Government Area, to complement the existing institution at Ofuoma.
He also disclosed that the long-abandoned Mother and Child Hospital in Ekpan is nearing completion, while another Specialist Hospital is under development in Osubi, Okpe Local Government Area, modelled after the Asaba Specialist Hospital.
“Delta State remains the only state in the country with over 60 functional, government-owned hospitals, and this administration is only getting started,” the commissioner said.
On health insurance, Onojaeme said enrollment under the Delta State Contributory Health Scheme has surpassed 2.78 million residents as of January 2026, making it Nigeria’s leading state-backed health insurance programme. He added that the scheme covers both formal and informal sector workers and prioritises vulnerable groups through the Equity Health Plan, including pregnant women, children under five and the elderly.
He said recent expansions include the enrollment of 10,000 widows and the ongoing registration of indigent residents, while facial recognition technology has been introduced at accredited facilities to boost efficiency and transparency.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage, Onojaeme said the Oborevwori government remains focused on delivering affordable, accessible and quality healthcare to all Deltans.
