•Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State
The Kwara State government has intensified efforts to strengthen primary healthcare delivery through the revitalisation of 100 Primary Health Care facilities and the recruitment of over 1,000 health workers across the state.
The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Nusirat Elelu, disclosed this during a Citizens’ Town Hall Meeting held in Ilorin with stakeholders drawn from the 16 local government areas of the state.
This was contained in a press statement issued today in Ilorin by the Press Secretary of the agency, Bukola Abdulganiyu.
The town hall meeting was organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and supported by the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency.
Speaking at the event, Elelu said the state government embarked on the revitalisation project to ensure that quality healthcare services are accessible to residents at the grassroots level.
She said, “We have revitalised a total of 100 Primary Health Care facilities across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State to ensure quality healthcare services are brought closer to the people.
“The project was designed to make every PHC facility fit for purpose as the first point of contact within the healthcare system while ensuring that no community is left behind in access to quality healthcare services.
“Many healthcare facilities that had been abandoned for years have now been renovated and equipped with the needed workforce to improve service delivery,” she added.
The Executive Secretary further disclosed that the government recently recruited more than 1,000 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses and midwives, to strengthen staffing in the revitalised facilities.
“Over 1,000 health workers, including doctors, nurses and midwives, were recently recruited to strengthen staffing across the revitalised facilities,” she added.
Elelu explained that the town hall meeting was organised to deepen community participation in the health sector through feedback, sensitisation and collaboration between the government and residents.
Earlier, the Assistant Chief Communication Development Officer at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Hadiza Agbab-Ajao, said the initiative was focused on building responsive and citizen-centred primary healthcare services.
Agbab-Ajao noted that the engagement was also designed to facilitate inclusive dialogue between communities and health authorities, improve health literacy, and increase utilisation of essential healthcare services, particularly maternal, newborn, immunisation, child health and family planning services.
A major highlight of the event was the decoration of seven PHC champions tasked with mobilising residents to utilise upgraded healthcare facilities and promote awareness of the importance of primary healthcare.
While decorating the champions, the Kwara State Coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Amina Bello, commended stakeholders for supporting efforts aimed at improving healthcare delivery in the state.
She encouraged residents to make effective use of primary healthcare centres within their communities.
Also speaking, the Director of Primary Health Care System at the agency, Michael Oguntoye, described primary healthcare centres as the first point of contact for communities seeking medical attention.
“The large-scale revitalisation project across the state was made possible by the present administration and the support of development partners,” he said.
Oguntoye added that the facilities had been equipped with essential infrastructure, including electricity and water supply, to ensure efficient service delivery.
He urged stakeholders to intensify sensitisation efforts in their communities to encourage residents to patronise the revitalised facilities.
In his goodwill message, the representative of UNICEF in Kwara State, Usman Danlami, commended the state government for prioritising access to quality healthcare.
“Kwara remains a priority beneficiary of UNICEF interventions, and the collaboration has continued to expand access to timely and quality healthcare services across the state,” he said.
Danlami also pledged UNICEF’s continued support towards ensuring improved and inclusive healthcare delivery for residents across Kwara State.
