Priorise Public Health To Lower Health Care Cost – Alalade to Makinde
Ademola Alalade, a prominent Ibadan politician and leading aspirant in the upcoming House of Representatives by-election for the Ibadan North Federal Constituency, has urged Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to significantly increase investment in public health infrastructure. He warned that continued underinvestment will escalate the cost of health care delivery across the state.
Speaking at a health policy dialogue held in Ibadan, Alalade emphasized that the most effective strategy for reducing long-term health care costs lies in preventive care and the strengthening of the state’s primary health care system.
“Our health care system is reactive rather than proactive,” Alalade stated. “We wait for people to fall sick and then commit enormous resources to treatment. But if we invest more in prevention — clean water, sanitation, vaccinations, maternal health, nutrition, and health education — we can reduce the disease burden and, in turn, the cost of treatment.”
Alalade acknowledged the progress made by the Makinde administration in rehabilitating general hospitals and expanding access to secondary health services. However, he highlighted a critical gap in public health programming, particularly at the grassroots level.
He called for a dedicated budget line for public health in the state’s annual appropriation bill and advocated for the establishment of community-based health initiatives, especially in rural areas.
Citing World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, Alalade noted that up to 70% of diseases treated in sub-Saharan African hospitals are preventable through basic public health interventions. He urged the government to shift its focus from hospital-centered care to community-level health promotion.
Residents and civil society groups present at the event echoed Alalade’s call, emphasizing the urgent need to reprioritize health investments in the face of rising medical costs and increasing rates of preventable diseases such as malaria, cholera, and hypertension.
Alalade concluded by stating that investing in public health is not only a cost-saving strategy but also a moral responsibility to protect the most vulnerable members of society.