Key Points

• Ogun State’s healthcare crisis forces many border residents to seek medical care in neighboring Benin.

• The Ogundipe family’s experience highlights the inadequate healthcare system in Ogun State, especially in border communities.

• Poorly maintained Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and lack of medical personnel drive locals to Benin for treatment.

On the night of February 21, 2024, Kehinde Ogundipe, a herbal tea seller from Obele in Ogun State, went into labor. She had no idea what awaited her.

Unlike her previous pregnancies, which she managed with traditional herbs, this one took a shocking turn. She delivered four babies—three boys and one girl—at home, all without medical assistance.

Mrs. Ogundipe had never visited a health facility for her previous six children, choosing instead to rely on traditional remedies.

But when the birth didn’t go as expected, panic set in. Realizing the urgency of the situation, her neighbors rushed her to the nearest hospital in Benin Republic, Hôpital De Zone De Pobe, hoping for the medical care they couldn’t find in Nigeria.

“I didn’t know they were four. I also didn’t feel much discomfort to guess how many they were in my belly,” Mrs. Ogundipe explained, reflecting on the unexpected and traumatic birth.

An Unexpected Journey to Safety

The following day, the Ogundipe family transferred to Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Departemental De L’Oueme in Porto-Novo for specialized care.

For two weeks, the quadruplets received critical medical attention before returning to Pobe, where they found temporary housing near the city’s general hospital. The family could then access medical care as needed, but the journey was far from over.

The support they received from the local community in Pobe was overwhelming. Many residents and local authorities treated the Ogundipe family as their own, offering donations to cover medical expenses.

The Mayor of Pobe, Simon Dinan, even made a public appeal for help, prompting additional contributions from local politicians and residents.

David Ogundipe, the children’s father, said, “From Pobe to when they moved the children to Porto-Novo, people gave us food and clothes.

We spent over N400,000 from the cash donations on medications and other needs within two months.”

However, tragedy struck when one of the boys passed away in April, leaving the family devastated. One year later, Mrs. Ogundipe and her surviving triplets remain stranded in Benin, caught between two countries.

While the support from the local community had initially been generous, the situation has become increasingly difficult as the donations have slowed.

Ogun State’s Healthcare Crisis

The Ogundipe family’s experience highlights the severe deficiencies in Ogun State’s healthcare system, especially in border communities like Ohunbe.

Accessing proper healthcare is an uphill battle for many residents. Roads leading to Ohunbe are rutted and barely passable, and healthcare options are limited at best.

Ohunbe Ward, which houses the Ogundipes, has four public Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs)—Agbon Ojodu, Ibeku, Pedepo, and Ohunbe—but these facilities are poorly equipped and understaffed.

Many locals express fear of contracting infections at these centers, which often lack basic medical supplies. As a result, residents like the Ogundipes often turn to neighboring Benin for healthcare.

Upon visiting Pobe General Hospital in Benin, it’s clear why Nigerians in Ohunbe seek care across the border.

The hospital is well-maintained with stable power, clean wards, and adequate staff. In contrast, the PHCs in Ogun State are in disrepair.

A visit to Agbon-Ojodu PHC revealed an abandoned facility with leaking roofs, cracked walls, and rotting furniture. The stench from mold and bat droppings filled the air.

At Ohunbe PHC, the closest health facility to the Ogundipes, only one health official was available to speak anonymously.

The official admitted the facility’s shortcomings, saying, “We are not fully equipped. I can’t blame the people for choosing Benin instead.”

The situation is dire for many in the community. When residents need urgent care, they often face a choice: risk receiving inadequate treatment at a Nigerian facility or cross into Benin for better care.

The Lack of Action from Ogun State Government

Despite the growing concern about Ogun’s healthcare system, little has been done to address these issues.

Ogun State’s Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, was contacted for comment but ended the call, citing a meeting, and subsequent attempts to reach her went unanswered.

While the Ogun State government has made some claims about renovating and upgrading PHCs, these promises have not materialized into tangible improvements.

Residents continue to face the same, if not worsened, conditions in healthcare facilities.

In 2023, the government announced that 42 PHCs had been renovated and that 60 more were being worked on.

However, Premium Times found no evidence of these renovations at the facilities visited. Instead, the state’s healthcare infrastructure remains a shell of what it could be.

Benin’s Open-Door Healthcare Policy

While Nigeria’s healthcare system struggles, Benin has made it easier for Nigerians from border communities to access healthcare. Rolande Kougbi, Communications Manager at the Beninese Agency for Integrated Management of Border Areas (ABeGIEF), confirmed that there are no restrictions for Nigerians seeking care in Benin. “The people on both sides of the border are brothers,” she said. “As the African Union recommends, they can benefit from basic services in a neighboring country if those services are lacking in their own.”

This open-door policy has allowed many Nigerians to bypass Nigeria’s failing healthcare system, but it has also raised questions about the Nigerian government’s responsibility to its citizens. By relying on Benin for healthcare, Ogun State residents have normalized seeking medical treatment outside their own country, allowing the Nigerian government to avoid accountability.

Cross-Border Cooperation and Regional Challenges

Despite the close ties between Nigeria and Benin, efforts to improve healthcare in border regions have not been fully realized.

Simon Adebayo Dinan, the mayor of Pobè and President of the Beninoise Association of Border Municipalities, highlighted the importance of cross-border cooperation.

He called for strengthened collaboration on infrastructure, healthcare, and education to improve the quality of life for people living along the shared border.

Although Benin and Nigeria signed agreements to improve cross-border cooperation in 2023, these agreements have not yet resulted in significant improvements.

The delay in finalizing these agreements has stalled progress on vital projects, including healthcare and infrastructure development.

The Need for Urgent Government Action

The Ogundipe family’s experience and the struggles of Ogun State’s border communities make it clear: Nigeria’s healthcare system is failing its citizens.

Public health experts warn that the lack of healthcare access in these regions leads to high maternal and child mortality rates, the spread of preventable diseases, and worsening social inequality.

Isaiah Owolabi, a public health expert at HACEY Health Initiative, stated, “Inadequate access to healthcare is a multifaceted issue with significant health, social, and economic implications.”

He emphasized the need for increased investment in healthcare infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Olorunfemi Olorunsaiye, a public health physician at the Department of Community Medicine and Primary Care, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, agreed, noting that “poor road networks, inadequate funding, infrastructure deficits, and skill gaps” are significant barriers to effective service delivery.

Conclusion: A Crisis in Need of Attention

The plight of the Ogundipe family and other Nigerians in border communities underscores a pressing issue in Ogun State’s healthcare system.

While neighboring Benin provides some relief, it is not a sustainable solution. The Nigerian government must take immediate action to address the healthcare crisis in these regions.

Without investment in healthcare infrastructure, including proper medical personnel and equipment, more families will continue to suffer. The time for action is now.