Bauchi Govt launches N7bn project to revitalise 118 PHCs

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has launched a revitalization project valued at over seven billion naira, aimed at improving one hundred eighteen primary healthcare facilities across the state.

The ceremony was held at the Kirfi Town Primary Healthcare Centre in Kirfi Local Government Area, where the Governor also inaugurated six revitalized healthcare centers.

The revitalization effort is part of the World Bank-supported Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project, which is being implemented by the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board.

Represented by Abubakar Sulaiman, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Governor Bala Mohammed reaffirmed his government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare delivery through improved service quality and infrastructure. 

He instructed the State Commissioner for Health and the Executive Chairman of the Primary Health Care Board to closely monitor the project’s progress and pledged to regularly visit the revitalization sites to ensure that contractors adhere to their agreements.

During the event, Dr. Muyi Aina, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), represented by the agency’s Director of Communication, Kabiru Ladan, commended the state government for its dedication to strengthening primary healthcare services within the communities.

Mr. Onoriode Ezire, Task Team Lead at the World Bank Country Office in Nigeria, stressed that the new infrastructure and equipment at the revitalized healthcare centers could provide quality healthcare. He encouraged religious and traditional leaders to use their influence to motivate women and children to access these services.

In their remarks, the Chairman of Kirfi Local Government, Abdulkadir Dewu, and the District Head of Kirfi, Alhaji Lawal Ladan, assured the public that they would take responsibility for the rehabilitated health facilities and those still under construction for the benefit of their communities.

Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in Bauchi State face significant challenges, primarily due to inadequate funding and a shortage of medical personnel. A 2024 report by BudgIT revealed that out of 1,255 health facilities in the state, only 10.9% have at least one general medical doctor, leaving 1,118 facilities without any doctors.

Additionally, only 19.1% of these facilities have at least one nurse, and a mere 18.8% employ at least one midwife. This severe shortage of healthcare professionals hampers service delivery and threatens health outcomes for millions of residents.

In 2023, the Bauchi State Accountability Mechanism for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (BaSAM) launched the dissemination of the 2023 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scorecard for the state. The scorecard requests the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency to make adequate budgetary provisions to improve the availability of child spacing commodities for easy access to clients.