The National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and founder of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Francis Oke, has urged urgent reforms in Nigeria’s healthcare system to reduce preventable deaths among youths and stop the recurring practice of political leaders seeking medical treatment abroad.
Oke made the call at the Foundation Day 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 Oke and his wife in memory of their late daughter, Dorcas Oke, who died from medical mistreatment, seeks to promote health awareness and improve access to quality healthcare.
Speaking at the event, Oke said the programme was designed to educate young Nigerians on healthy living and preventive care, stressing that good health is essential for fulfilling one’s purpose in life.
“The purpose of 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 called on government authorities at federal, state, and local levels to prioritise massive investment in the health sector, creating an accessible, affordable, and sustainable healthcare system for all citizens.
Describing frequent medical trips abroad by top government officials as “undignified and unsafe,” Oke said such practices expose the nation to unnecessary risks.
“We don’t want a situation where any president has to go overseas 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 abroad. 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 top government levels to rural communities would ensure 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 Prof. Temitope Alonge, immediate past Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, 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 yearly public enlightenment lecture provides a platform to discuss pressing health and social issues affecting the African child.
