Former Ogun Health Commissioner, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye Calls for Greater Government Investment in Healthcare
Ayo Marvel 
Former Ogun State Commissioner for Health and Balogun of Ijebu-Igbo Kingdom, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, has called on governments at all levels in Nigeria to make healthcare a central part of the country’s development strategy, warning that weak investment in the sector could undermine productivity, human capital development and economic growth.
Dr. Ipaye, an accomplished public health specialist with nearly three decades of experience in healthcare delivery, made the call while reflecting on Nigeria’s healthcare system, medical workforce, health financing and his professional journey.
A former Commissioner for Health in Ogun State, Dr. Ipaye has worked across several areas of public health, including malaria, HIV/AIDS, health systems development, COVID-19 response, health financing and pharmaceutical systems. He has also provided technical support to programmes involving international development organisations and governments in Nigeria and other African countries.
He holds a Master’s degree in Public Health and is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians. He has also served as a lecturer at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital.
From humble beginnings to a career in medicine
Speaking about his early life, Dr. Ipaye recalled growing up in a financially challenged family where his parents struggled to provide the resources required for his education.
He attributed his academic journey to the support of several individuals and organisations who believed in his potential.
According to him, he performed exceptionally well in his West African examinations, recording seven distinctions and one credit. His school principal assisted him with his JAMB application, while community members and organisations, including the Rotary Club and the Premier Club of Ijebu-Igbo Ladies, supported his education through scholarships.
He recalled that as a medical student in 1986, his school fees were only N278.
Upon graduation, Dr. Ipaye emerged as the overall best graduating student, receiving several university awards, including the Vice Chancellor’s Award.
His decision to serve his community
Dr. Ipaye explained that his decision to focus on public health was influenced by what he witnessed during his early medical practice.
After initially working in a teaching hospital, he noticed that several patients referred from his hometown arrived with complications that could have been prevented through earlier and better primary healthcare.
He subsequently left the teaching hospital and took up a position at a local hospital in his community.
He said his motivation was to ensure that residents had access to a qualified medical doctor who could handle basic health challenges and make timely referrals when specialist care was required.
That experience, he explained, helped shape his decision to pursue public health, where interventions can benefit larger populations rather than individuals alone.
International experience and public health work
Dr. Ipaye later became involved in major healthcare programmes in Nigeria and internationally.
He worked with the World Bank and other international development partners, providing technical leadership on health programmes. He was also involved in malaria interventions and helped develop proposals and strategies for Nigeria’s health sector.
He later joined the Malaria Consortium, where he was involved in the development of a major malaria intervention proposal for Nigeria.
He also worked on systems development, capacity building, strategic planning and operational efficiency within the health sector.
In 2015, he was appointed Commissioner for Health in Ogun State under the administration of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
After completing his tenure in government, Dr. Ipaye returned to public health practice and continued his work through PELTOM Global Services, a technical organisation involved in public-sector productivity, health systems development, implementation support, health financing, monitoring and evaluation.
Why healthcare should be treated as a development priority
Dr. Ipaye argued that healthcare should not be treated merely as another item on government expenditure lists but as a fundamental component of national development.
He explained that a healthy population is essential for productivity and economic growth because people cannot contribute effectively to the economy when they are physically or mentally unwell.
According to him, countries that have achieved significant development have generally built strong healthcare systems capable of supporting their populations.
He therefore called for greater commitment from the federal, state and local governments towards healthcare financing, infrastructure, human resources and service delivery.
Concern over Nigeria’s medical workforce
Dr. Ipaye also expressed concern about the disparity between the remuneration and working conditions of Nigerian doctors and those of their counterparts in developed countries.
He noted that professionals would naturally seek environments where their skills are better rewarded and where they can access improved working conditions.
He linked this situation to the difficulties sometimes experienced in attracting doctors for postgraduate training and other professional opportunities in Nigeria.
He recalled that when he was a young medical doctor, recruitment exercises could attract hundreds of applicants, describing the situation today as significantly different.
Dependence on foreign donors
Another major concern raised by Dr. Ipaye was Nigeria’s dependence on international donors for the financing of important healthcare programmes.
He argued that while international development partners have played an important role in supporting Nigeria’s health system, the country must develop stronger domestic financing mechanisms to ensure sustainability.
He cited programmes covering HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other public health interventions as areas where donor funding has historically played a significant role.
Dr. Ipaye warned that global economic changes and donor priorities could affect the availability of foreign funding, making it necessary for Nigeria to take greater ownership of its healthcare financing.
He said successive health strategies have often contained plans for increasing domestic financing, but implementation and government commitment have remained major challenges.
His record as Ogun Commissioner for Health
Reflecting on his tenure as Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ipaye said his administration implemented several health strategies aimed at improving healthcare outcomes across the state.
He referred to the 2018 National Demographic and Health Survey and said Ogun State recorded strong performance on several health indicators during the period.
He specifically highlighted reductions in maternal mortality and improvements in other health indicators as evidence of the impact that focused healthcare strategies and government commitment could have.
A call for a new approach
Dr. Ipaye maintained that Nigeria’s healthcare challenges require a long-term approach involving stronger government funding, better management of resources, improved working conditions for health professionals and greater investment in primary healthcare.
He stressed that the country cannot achieve sustainable economic development without developing the health of its people.
As a prominent son of Ijebu-Igbo and the Balogun of Ijebu-Igbo Kingdom, Dr. Ipaye’s career continues to combine professional experience in public health with service to his community.
His central message is that healthcare must move beyond being treated as a recurring government programme and become a deliberate component of Nigeria’s broader development strategy.
“A healthy population provides better productivity and economic growth,” remains the central argument of his position: investment in healthcare is ultimately an investment in the people and the future of Nigeria.
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