The National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and founder of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s healthcare system to reduce preventable deaths among the youth and to end the recurring practice of political leaders seeking medical treatment abroad.
Wale Oke made the call at the Foundation Day Annual Public Enlightenment Lecture organised by the Dorcas Oke Hope Alive Initiative (DOHAL), held at the auditorium of Precious Cornerstone University [PCU], Ibadan, Oyo State.
The initiative, founded by Bishop and Rev. (Dr.) Mrs. Francis Wale Oke in memory of their late daughter, Dorcas Oluwaseyitanfunmi Oke, who died from medical mistreatment years ago, aims to promote health awareness and improve access to quality healthcare.
Speaking at the event, Bishop Oke said the programme was designed to educate young Nigerians on healthy living and preventive care, stressing that sound health remains essential to fulfilling one’s purpose in life.
“The purpose of organising this programme is to encourage, inform, and educate the youth on health matters and how to take care of themselves to prevent untimely deaths. We don’t want any of them to die; we want all of them to live and fulfil their destinies,” he said.
He urged government authorities at the federal, state, and local levels to prioritise massive investment in the nation’s health sector to build an accessible, affordable, and sustainable healthcare system for all citizens.
Describing the frequent medical trips by top government officials as “undignified and unsafe,” Oke said such practices expose the nation to security risks.
“We don’t want a situation where any president will be sick and has to go abroad for treatment. If the government can pick one tertiary or specialist hospital in each geopolitical zone and upgrade it to global standards, no leader would need to go overseas. The president can be treated in Abuja, Kaduna, Enugu, Lagos, or Ibadan,” he said.
The PFN leader emphasised that strengthening Nigeria’s medical infrastructure, from the topmost levels of governance to rural communities, would ensure that both leaders and ordinary citizens have access to quality and affordable care.
“There should be accessible and affordable healthcare for all, from the number one citizen to the rural dweller. That is the Nigeria of our dream, a nation where every citizen can live healthy, productive, and dignified lives,” he added.
The lecture, chaired by Bishop (Prof.) Dapo Asaju, Chairman of the DOHAL Board of Trustees, featured a keynote presentation by the immediate past Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Temitope Alonge, who spoke on the theme: “Quality Healthcare System and the Challenges of the African Child.”
Alonge emphasised the critical role of primary healthcare in achieving an effective health system.
“If we get primary healthcare right, we will get healthcare right. An African child has immense potential for the future,” he said.
In her remarks, Executive Director of DOHAL, Pastor (Mrs.) Olufunmilayo Ajibulu, noted that the annual public enlightenment lecture, which began in 2009, provides a platform to discuss pressing health and social issues affecting the African child.
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