The Ministry of Health came into being in April, 1976 as a consequence of the creation of Ondo State in February of the same year from the defunct Western State of Nigeria.
Within the framework of the defunct Western State Health Management Board System which came into force by Edict 12 of 1975 and which commenced on 1st July, 1975, the newly created geo-political block inherited the Akure and Ekiti Health Zones, but for various reasons, it was not realistic to establish the new Ministry on the Health Management Board System.
Hence, all health administration and management functions of the new State had to be carried out largely through the Ministry of Health.
On creation, the Ministry inherited from the defunct Western State:
1.2 State Hospitals at Akure and Ado-Ekiti respectively;
2.4 General Hospitals at Ondo, Okitipupa, Ikare and Ido-Ekiti respectively;
3.6 District Hospitals at Ikere, Aiyede, Ikole, Iyin, Ijero and Ijan respectively;
4.2 Health Centres at Araromi-Obu and Aramoko respectively;
5.Health Offices located all over the State which were tenants of Local Governments, except in Akure. The Akure Office then served as the Ministry's temporary headquarters.
As these were clearly inadequate, the Ministry immediately began work on the improvement of existing facilities and provision of new ones.
As with other Ministries, the political head of the Ministry of Health is the Commissioner, the first being Chief (Mrs) Adebola Adesida, while the Permanent Secretary as the Chief Executive is the Ministry's Accounting Officer, the first being Chief Barnabas Kolawole.
Organized at inception into eight divisions, namely:
1. Administrative and General;
2. Finance and Establishments;
3. Curative;
4. Preventive;
5. Dental;
6. Pharmacy;
7. Nursing and
8. Training Institutions
The Ministry today is divided into various departments and directorates namely:
1. Department of Finance and Administration
2. Department of Planning, Research and Statistics
3. Department of Public Health
4. Department of Accounts
5. Department of Pharmaceutical Services
6. Department of Hospital Services
7. Department of Family Health
8. Department of Nursing Services
9. Department of Laboratory Services
10. Department of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine Services (TCAM)
Over the years and under successive administrations, the Ministry has evolved to become the driving force of the comprehensive health policy and robust health reform agenda of government.
Today, the policy focus is to guide stakeholders in health to actualize the provision of affordable and qualitative health care for all citizens of Ondo State, to be accomplished through strategies emplaced in the 8-point developmental programmes of this administration tagged REDEEMED AGENDA
To have an effective health system that guarantees a healthy and productive citizenry.
To put in place appropriate policies and programmes that strengthen the health system and ensure affordable and qualitative health care services.