-Vow To Continually Strengthen Grassroots Healthcare
The National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America (NANNNA) has commissioned four fully renovated Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across Ogun State, marking another major milestone in its ongoing commitment to improving access to quality healthcare in underserved communities.
The commissioning ceremonies, held on Friday, December 19, 2025, were performed by the Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker ably represented by Dr. Esther, at selected facilities in Iperu Remo, Aiyepe (Ijebu), and Ijebu Ode. The exercise began at Imobido PHC, Iperu Remo, followed by Iregun PHC, Iperu Remo, Aiyepe PHC, Ijebu, and concluded at Iwade-Oke PHC, Ijebu Ode.
The renovated centres are part of NANNNA’s Adopt-A-Primary Health Centre Initiative, coordinated in Nigeria by Dr. Esther Oshunluyi, DNP, RN, FWAPCNM. Through the initiative, the Association has adopted 34 PHCs across nine states in the South-West, South-East, and South-South geo-political zones, with five centres located in Ogun State.
Renovation works at the two Iperu facilities—Imobido and Iregun—commenced in April 2025 and involved major structural upgrades implemented in collaboration with the Ogun State Ministry of Health, the Primary Health Care Board, local government authorities, health secretaries, and host communities.
Key interventions included the conversion of ground-floor structures into one-storey buildings, the construction of additional wards and administrative offices, as well as the procurement and installation of furniture and essential medical equipment.
At Aiyepe PHC, NANNNA transformed a previously dilapidated structure into a two-bedroom staff quarters, complete with private bathrooms, a living room, a kitchenette, and a visitors’ restroom—an intervention aimed at improving staff welfare and retention in rural health facilities.
Similarly, at Iwade-Oke PHC in Ijebu Ode, the Association constructed and equipped two new wards for male and female patients, while the existing ward was repurposed into a well-furnished staff room. The intervention builds on NANNNA’s earlier healthcare support project at Ita Alapo PHC, also in Ijebu Ode.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Esther Oshunluyi, Chairperson of NANNNA’s Health Mission Committee and Coordinator of the Adopt-A-PHC Initiative in Nigeria, said the projects underscore the power of collaboration in healthcare delivery.
“These interventions are about bringing health services closer to underserved communities and providing succour to the less privileged. Our work in Ogun State demonstrates the powerful impact of partnership between diaspora professionals, state authorities, and local communities,” she stated.
All renovation works, according to the Association, were executed following the submission of structural engineering reports and the receipt of formal approvals from relevant state authorities, ensuring safety, sustainability, and compliance with healthcare standards.
Community leaders and health sector stakeholders who attended the commissioning ceremonies commended NANNNA for its consistent contributions to grassroots healthcare development, describing the projects as timely and impactful in strengthening primary healthcare delivery in the state.
NANNNA is a unified body of Nigerian nurses’ associations and nursing school alumni in North America, dedicated to improving health outcomes for Nigerians at home and abroad. With an estimated membership base of over 6,000 Nigerian-origin nurses across the Americas, the Association also plays an active role in professional development, health missions, and advocacy for improved healthcare policies in Nigeria.
Special recognition was given to facilitators and community partners who supported the successful execution of the projects, including the Iperu Indigenes Nurses in North America, families, professional associations, and community groups in Iperu, Aiyepe, and Ijebu Ode, whose contributions were described as instrumental to the projects’ success.
The commissioning of the four PHCs signals the commencement of improved primary healthcare services for thousands of residents, reinforcing NANNNA’s long-standing mission to bridge healthcare gaps and promote sustainable community development in Nigeria.
-Jamiu Abubakar
(08085185886)
