As the North East region continues to recover from the devastating effects of insurgency, the states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe have taken significant strides towards reviving their health sectors, with a particular focus on Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs).
The prolonged insurgency, which lasted for over a decade, had a severe impact on the healthcare system in these states, resulting in the destruction of many health facilities.
A Health Resources Availability Monitoring System (HeRAMS) report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that in 2019, only 30% of health facilities in Borno were fully functional. In Adamawa and Yobe, the figures stood at 45% and 69%, respectively.
In Adamawa, Dr. Suleiman Bashir, the Executive Chairman of the Primary Health Care Development Agency, announced that all the health centres across the state’s 266 wards are now fully functional. Efforts have been made to rehabilitate and equip these centres, ensuring the availability of staff and resources.
Felix Tangwami, the Health Commissioner of Adamawa, emphasized the administration’s commitment to prioritizing healthcare and continuing to address the needs of PHCs for optimum performance.
In Yobe, where 138 health centres are operational, the state branch Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Abubakar Kaumi, advocated for incentives to be provided to rural women to encourage their patronage of healthcare centres. Items such as sanitary pads and diapers were suggested as potential incentives to attract more patients.
Dr. Kaumi also stressed the importance of accessibility, affordability, quality of care, reputation, and convenience as factors that would further encourage patronage. He called on the government to ensure the maintenance of these facilities and to intensify efforts to sensitize the public about taking ownership and responsibility for the sustainability of these healthcare centres.
In Borno, as the government focuses on the rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced persons back to their ancestral homes, Governor Babagana Zulum shared that 45 new primary healthcare centres had been constructed and equipped across 19 Local Government Areas (LGAs). Additionally, 18 general hospitals in 13 LGAs have undergone rehabilitation over the past four years.
The commitment of the Zulum administration to primary healthcare was recently recognized with an award of excellence from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA). Dr. Faisal Shu’aib, the Coordinator of NPHCDA, commended Borno for its outstanding dedication in advancing immunizations and other essential PHC services, stating that the state’s efforts would serve as a template for transforming primary healthcare.
As the North East recovers from the aftermath of insurgency, the revival of primary healthcare centres in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe is a significant milestone. These efforts not only demonstrate a commitment to providing accessible and quality healthcare but also pave the way for sustainable healthcare services in the region.
NAN
