By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Kwara State Government has revitalized a total number of 100 Primary Healthcare facilities (PHCs) across the State’s 16 Local Government Areas.
The Executive Secretary of the Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu stated this on Thursday in Ilorin while speaking at the Citizen Engagement Town Hall Meeting.
The meeting is organized for State PHC Leadership and Community Stakeholders.
Elelu explained that the project was designed to make every PHC “fit for purpose” as the first point of contact in the state’s health system.
According to her, the overall objective is to bring quality healthcare closer to communities across the 16 LGAs.
She explained that healthcare facilities that have been abandoned for years are now renovated, and with the needed healthcare workers.
Elelu added that over 1000 health workers, including doctors, nurses, and midwives, were recently recruited to staff the revamped centres.
The executive secretary said the town hall meeting is a representative of various institutions, including traditional and religious leaders, market women, mothers and caregivers, as well as people living with disabilities across the State.
She commended Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s “visionary leadership and sustained investment” in the health sector, while appealing to the communities to take ownership of the facilities and use them judiciously.
Elelu pointed out that the renovated PHC facilities are aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality and ensuring no community is left behind in access to primary healthcare.
Also speaking, the Director Primary Healthcare System of the Agency, Dr Michael Oguntoye described the primary healthcare centers as the first point of contact for communities to access healthcare.
According to him, it is not a small feat to embark on a massive revitalization project across the State, adding that this was made possible with the collaboration of development partners.
Oguntoye explained that the facilities have all the necessary infrastructures including electricity and water supply.
He therefore appealed to all the stakeholders to ensure people are sensitized to utilise the facilities, adding that the government has done its part in ensuring that citizens are provided with healthcare at its best.
In his Goodwill message, the representative of UNICEF in the State, Dr Usman Danlami commended the State government commitment to providing quality healthcare to the citizens.
He explained that Kwara remains a priority beneficiary of UNICEF’s interventions, noting that the collaboration has resulted in expanding access to quality healthcare across the State.
Danlami therefore pledged UNICEF’s continued support to ensure improved, timely health care service delivery, while ensuring no community would be left behind.