Primary Health Centres are fundamental components of the healthcare system, and their capabilities should be enhanced to address the basic essential health needs of individuals seeking care. Through the Community Health Watch Programme, we continuously monitor ongoing efforts to improve the quality of primary healthcare access in communities in Nigeria.
Eight months ago, we highlighted the Gbangba Tsofogi Facility in Gbako Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State and decided to revisit the facility to understand if any progress has been made. Unfortunately, the facility continues to remain underequipped and lies fallow, as the villagers, who are mainly farmers and petty traders, no longer patronise the health centre due to its poor state.
The Primary Health Centre (PHC), constructed through community efforts and goodwill to provide health services to the local community and neighbouring villages, was not operating at full capacity as of April 2023 due to a shortage of personnel and poor infrastructure. A subsequent visit in December 2023, revealed no improvement in the facility’s conditions, as it remains unhygienic and unsafe for treating patients. The officer-in-charge (OIC), Mohammed Yunusa, expresses concern that treating patients under the present condition of the facility could lead to contamination.
“The state of the facility needs to be upgraded quickly, there are no beds, toilets and labour room for patients.” He added.
Being the only health worker at the facility, the OIC also lamented the shortage of manpower in the facility. “I am the only health worker at the facility, any other person you see here is assisting as a volunteer.” He concluded.
Mallam Usman Diji, a youth leader and schoolteacher in the Community Secondary School called for urgent government intervention. “After the community built this clinic, all we want from the government is to plaster and put the floor in good shape. We also need chairs, more health workers and drugs’’. He said.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), mandates that every Nigerian including the residents of Gbangba Tsofogi community should have access to quality health regardless of their location or social status. Hence the people of Gbangba Tsofogi community are asking that the government should do the following.
- Rehabilitate, upgrade, and equip the facility to better serve the people.
- Employ more health workers.
- Provide drugs and essential work tools.