THE COLLEGE OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ILESA IN BRIEF

In 1977, Nigeria devised a strategy for meeting the health needs of her citizens by adopting the Basic Health Service Scheme (BHSS). This concept coincided with that of Primary Health Care (PHC) of 1978. The Federal Government concluded that there was a need to increase the strength of middle level manpower in the Health Care Industry, thus, Health Institutions of relevant status were established to train such health personnel required.

The College of Health Technology, Ilesa then in Oyo State and now in Osun State was established.

Academic programmes started in the College in September 1977 with two cadres of officers viz: Public Health Superintendents now called Environmental Health Technologists and Community Health Assistants who are now known as Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW). These two cadres took off from Muroko Road, Ilesa temporary site near the present State Hospital, Ilesa.

Both past and present tutors worked relentlessly at the temporary site between 1977 and 1985 when the College moved to her present and permanent site in January, 1985.

The College’s highest ruling authority from September, 1977 to the time Osun State was created was the Oyo State Ministry of Health under the Secondary Health Care and Training Department. The baton changed hands to the authority of the Osun State Ministry of Health under the Secondary Health Care Department between August, 1990 and January, 1991.

By first February, 1991, the College was transferred to the Directorate of Primary Health Care in the same Ministry of Health. By the middle of 1991, more courses were introduced, these included; Community Health Officers Course, Community Health Supervisor Course and the Health Assistant Cadre. Some of the courses which had suffered some set back in the previous year were resuscitated. All these were made possible by the courageous input of the then Director of Primary Health Care, late Dr. B. AdeyeOluwa.

TThe College’s highest ruling was the Directorate of Primary Health Care and Disease Control. Between February 1991 and 1997, the College had two satellite campuses viz Ikirun and Iwo. At Ikirun campus Junior Community Health Extension Workers (JCHEW) were trained, and at Iwo campus, Health Assistants were trained. All trainees ran programme with the students on the main campus at Ilesa. Satellite campuses were later phased out due to logistic hindrances. In order to move the institution forward and to make her be at par with institutions of similar status, a bill formally establishing the College was presented to the Osun State House of Assembly through the then Honorable Commissioner for Health, Pharmacist ‘Lanre Afolabi, who supported the bill and presented same to the then Governor, His Excellency, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola from where the bill got to the House of Assembly.

The bill passed through readings and deliberations in the State House of Assembly for the most part of the year 2004 and first half of the year 2005. It got the Governor’s assent on 8th July 2005 to become Osun State College of Health Technology Ilesa, Establishment Law No. 2, 2005 duly endorsed by His Excellency Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola but still under the Directorate of Primary Health Care and Disease Control of the Ministry of Health.

In the year 2000, the College sent 24 Higher National Diploma graduates of Environmental Health Technology for the National Youth Service (N.Y.S.C), while six others got Exemption Certificate having passed the age of 30 years at their course completion.

In a bid for the College to be fully an autonomous Health Institution, the State House of Assembly through the Speaker of the House Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye presented a bill for full autonomous establishment of the College. This bill was assented to by the Governor His Excellency Mr Adegboyega Oyetola on 22nd April, 2020 after passing through first and second reading to become full fledge autonomous Osun State College of Health Technology, Ilesa (Establishment) Law, 2020 and a Seven (7) Man Governing Board which was Chaired by Hon. Bisi Odewumi was inaugurated in January, 2022. The House of Assembly on 17th November, 2022 moved the College to the Ministry of Education as the supervising Ministry which would be of immense benefits to the College and the State in general.

The College is currently being administered under the Provostship of Dr Lateef Olarewaju, Raheem following his appointment on 23rd February, 2023 by Osun State Governor His Excellency Senator Jackson Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke as the first substantive Provost.