Crossing Borders for Survival: Ogun’s Failing Healthcare System Forces Residents to Benin Republic

On February 21, 2024, at around 10 p.m., Kehinde Ogundipe, a herbal tea seller from Obele in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, went into labor. Unaware that she was carrying quadruplets, she gave birth at home without medical assistance. As complications arose, her neighbors rushed her and her newborns across the border to Hôpital De Zone De Pobe in Benin Republic, the closest hospital capable of providing adequate care.

For two weeks, the quadruplets received intensive medical attention before being transferred back to Pobe, where the family stayed close to medical facilities. The Beninese community and local government provided financial and material support, with public appeals leading to donations that covered hospital bills and essential needs. However, despite the initial generosity, support dwindled after donors realized the family was Nigerian, leaving them stranded in Benin. Tragically, in April, one of the baby boys passed away.

Their story underscores the severe inadequacies of Ogun’s healthcare system, particularly in border communities. Many residents prefer seeking medical care in Benin due to poor infrastructure, a lack of trained health personnel, and dilapidated primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in Ogun. Several residents have even received birth certificates from Benin after delivering their babies there.

A visit to Pobe General Hospital revealed modern facilities, clean wards, reliable electricity, and well-maintained roads leading to the hospital—starkly different from Ogun’s healthcare centers. In contrast, places like Agbon-Ojodu PHC and Ohunbe PHC in Ogun are in deplorable conditions, with leaking roofs, crumbling walls, and insufficient medical staff.

Despite previous reports highlighting these issues, the Ogun State government has made little progress in improving healthcare services. As more Nigerians from border communities continue to cross into Benin for basic medical needs, the government must urgently invest in healthcare infrastructure, equip hospitals, and ensure access to quality medical services for its people.