A certain species of birds has invaded the Gurjiya Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Garko, Kano state, rendering it non-conducive for healthcare delivery.
The birds, mostly known as “Birbiri” in the local dialect (Hausa), have occupied the PHC’s roofing, becoming a menace with their incessant noise and droppings on the roof and inside the facility, making it unsanitary for healthcare services.
During a visit by Nigeria Health Watch, the facility was vacant except for the security guard who was nearby tending to his farm at the back of the building. The overwhelming stench and clamour of bird noises created a chaotic and uninviting environment, likely to deter anyone from seeking healthcare services.
“We have done our best to keep them away from the facility, but those birds keep coming back. At one time, we had to open the roofing, evacuate everything they kept there, and put back a new ceiling, but they still came back. We sprayed insecticide, but the birds are still here,” Sa’adu Abubakar, the facility’s Security Officer, lamented.
Despite the healthcare providers’ efforts to address the issue, the problem persists and remains unresolved. “They are seriously disturbing people both from the noise and the odour that comes from their excreta. People don’t like coming because of that,” Abubakar added.
Yau Isah, the assistant officer-in-charge, also said they have tried their best, but it has not yielded any results. “We are yet to get the real solution to the problem. The odour and the non-conducive environment are keeping people away from the facility. The odour is not good, and you have to sweep almost all the time.” Isah added.
A resident, Idris Sa’adu, who also shared his perspective, noted, “We are witnesses to the level of efforts put in place to keep these birds away, but it’s like we are inviting them the more because they are multiplying in number. If you come here in the evening hours, you can’t come close to the building because they will be everywhere. When the roofing was opened recently, the quantity of [bird] dung that was taken out was so much.”
Sulaiman Abubakar Fagge, a Kano State Zoological Garden conservationist, explained that these birds are a species of bat. “They are among those birds that want human habitation; when they see humans, somehow the condition of human habitation appears to be conducive for them, especially in the ceiling, probably because of the darkness and warmth which provides a resting place for them during the day as they are nocturnal animals,” he said, adding that “when trying to chase them away you have to do what most conservationists will frown at – using chemicals to try and pursue them out of that place.”
Also speaking on the impact of this infestation on human health, Sani Yakubu, a staff member of Kano Zoological Garden, noted that “their disturbance—noise and foul odour pose a significant effect on one’s health. We all know what bad smells for long periods of time and noise can do to one’s health.
“When they arrive, you cannot do anything because you can’t push them out. You can only close the openings where they are getting in to chase them away, and then they will find another place to reside,” Yakubu added.
Transforming the healthcare system into an efficient, equitable, and quality-driven entity is a key priority within the Minister of Health’s 4-point agenda, as outlined in the Health Sector Reform Initiative.
Gurjiya PHC serves atleast 400 patients each month, providing ante-natal care, routine immunisation, and out-patient services to residents of Gurjiya and five neighbouring communities.
However, the current state of the PHC poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of the people it serves, requiring immediate intervention from the government to address this situation. Caregivers at Gurjiya village are urging concerned authorities, government and philanthropists to;
- Replace the roof with a modern or concrete one and seal off all openings, which will go a long way toward keeping birds off the building.
- Revamp and renovate the entire facility to make it conducive for patients to access healthcare services.