By Rahima Shehu Dokaji
What does it take for a community to access lifesaving care? For the Dorawar Sallau community in Garun Malam Local Government Area (LGA), Kano state, it took a sacred sacrifice: giving up a mosque’s Eid prayer ground so that thousands could finally receive dignified healthcare close to home.
“We had no choice but to act,” recalled the Chief Imam Alhassan Haruna, who led the decision to donate the mosque’s Eid ground. “We gave up our prayer ground for the health of our people.”
Dorawar Sallau community in Garun Malam LGA relied on an old, dilapidated health post that was nearly unusable for years. Classified as a Health Post and a Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) focal facility, it served over five communities, including Dumaji, Kutumbiri, Galadimawa, and Ci Ku Buga. The health post still operates with just four staff, supported by four volunteers receiving ₦5,000 monthly stipends.
With only two consultation rooms and hundreds of patients daily, women have to travel eight kilometres to another Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) for antenatal care and delivery, a burden worsened by poor transport options, limited funds, and impassable roads during the rainy season.
The World Bank-supported Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) project identified this gap and constructed a new Level 2 Primary Health Centre on the land donated by the community. This is in line with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Plan (2023–2027). Its second pillar encourages government and citizen-led efforts in ensuring efficient, equitable and quality healthcare systems.
For the community leader Hamisu Danjummai, the old facility was a source of shame: “Before renovation, you couldn’t even stand near it because it smells so badly due to bat infestation.”
Kabiru Ibrahim Chiromawa, officer in charge, described years of struggle, “with our monthly BHCPF allocation of ₦350,000–₦370,000, we tried to make it usable, with new windows, security, and some basic repairs, but it was never enough. Thank God for this new PHC.”
According to Muhammad Nura Yahaya, the IMPACT project Manager, Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board (PHCMB), the new PHC aligns with the national and state’s mandate to ensure at least one functional PHC per ward. “Each revitalised facility now includes labour rooms, wards, laboratories, staff quarters, and solar power.”
Professor Salisu Ahmad, the Director General, Kano State PHCMB, added that “Kano is implementing one of Nigeria’s largest PHC revitalisation efforts, 187 facilities under IMPACT, others supported by the Global Fund, UNICEF, and BHCPF.”
The newly constructed level 2 PHC will serve over 50,000 people, and will reduce long travel times for pregnant women and easing pressure on overstretched staff. Yet staffing gaps and funding limitations remain key challenges that could slow service delivery once the facility opens.
For the new PHC to effectively serve its purpose, policymakers and stakeholders must therefore ensure;
- Full staffing and
- Adequate equipment at the facility
As the Chief Imam reminds: “Prayer is important; likewise, a health facility is equally important to save lives.”