By Correspondent in Ilorin
In their bid to boost good health and conducive environment, the Master of Public Health (MPH), students of the University of Ilorin,kwara state have drilled borehole and renovated healthcare facilities in rural communities in Asa, Ifelodun, Irepodun, Ilorin West, Ilorin South and Moro Local Government Areas.
The students disclosed this this on Tuesday in Ilorin in their various presentations at the MPH Field Posting Report organised by the College of Health Sciences of the institution.
Earlier in his presentation, Prof. Ibrahim Katibi, Dean Faculty of Clinical Sciences of the University, stressed the importance of the Field Posting in terms of Public Health.
According to the don,the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology had a lot to offer the country and the world at large, citing the John Hopkins University and the great role and service the department had performed as regarding data and statistics on COVID-19.
Katibi called on the Department of Public Health to rise and position itself through collaboration with other bodies to generate funds.
Prof. Omotoso Musa, the Head of Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, in his contribution, said that the students were engaged in 12 weeks field posting experience across Kwara communities.
He added that the programme was aimed at ensuring that the undergraduates gain practical ability and experience from communities where they carried out interventions, apart from were theories taught in classes.
“The programme is aimed at ensuring students offer community strategy and see the challenges and how to solve such challenges to enable them acquire skills and competence in areas of health planning, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation.
Dr. Femi Oladiji, the Coordinator, Field Posting programme, explained that after the posting, the students would be expected to make presentation of their various experience in the communities where they offered intervention work and marks would be awarded.
In their various presentations, the MPH students disclosed that they carried out programmes such as renovation of public health centres, public toilets, drilling of boreholes and purchase of generating set, among other activities were carried out.
The students noted that various health interventions were carried out such as donation of free drugs to the various communities, screening for HIV/AIDs, hypertension and diabetes and engaged in treatment of skin lesion, immunization, distribution of multivitamin to pregnant women and minor surgical interventions such as circumcision among others
The MPH undergraduates, observed that the larger percentage of the population practised open fecal defecation and indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
They also discovered that many of the schools and residential houses lacked toilets and refuse dump sites, calling on the relevant authorities to improve on public health care in the areas affected.
