Residents of Lemo Ward face immense challenges in accessing basic healthcare services in Tsamiya Babba community of Gezawa Local Government Area (LGA). Despite being part of Kano’s metropolitan city, the absence of a healthcare facility forces pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable groups to endure long and difficult journeys for medical care, sometimes with dire consequences, like complications and death.
The community, home to over 20,000 people, lacks a primary healthcare (PHC) facility, making healthcare access a daunting challenge. Residents must travel for over 15 kilometers to distant health centres in Tsamiyar Boka (Galula) or Mariri, navigating bad roads and high transportation costs.
The absence of a Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) focal facility exacerbates the crisis, leaving many without timely medical attention. Pregnant women and children are particularly at risk, as emergency cases require long and often unsafe journeys.
“A pregnant woman gave birth inside a tricycle on her way to the hospital because the journey was too long and difficult,” Magaji Yusuf, the Ward Head of Lemo, recalled a harrowing incident. “We had no choice but to stop at a filling station for help before taking her back home.”
According to public health experts, the lack of accessible healthcare increases maternal and child mortality rates. The World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasises that care by healthcare professionals before, during, and after childbirth, can reduce maternal and child mortality.
Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch
Without a nearby facility, women in Lemo Ward face heightened risks during pregnancy and childbirth. Maryam, a 45-year-old mother, echoes this frustration: “Each time we need medical care, it is a struggle. The roads are bad, and by the time we get to the hospital, we are exhausted. We need a healthcare facility in our community.”
The community’s lack of healthcare services places immense strain on residents. The absence of immunisation services puts children at risk of preventable diseases. Poor road infrastructure further isolates the community, limiting timely medical interventions. These issues highlight broader disparities in healthcare access between urban and peri-urban settlements in Kano.
Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch
The plight of Lemo Ward residents underscores systemic gaps in healthcare delivery, directly contradicting Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Plan (2023–2026). The second pillar of the health sector renewal plan prioritises equitable and quality healthcare, aiming for a Level 2 PHC in every electoral ward. However, Lemo Ward remains without one, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.
Lemo Ward residents urgently call on the government and the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board to:
- Establish a PHC in the community.
- Ensure medical consumables and essential drugs are readily available.
- Improve road infrastructure to enhance access to existing healthcare centers.
“Healthcare should not be a privilege,” Yusuf noted. “We will not relent in calling on the authorities to ensure our community gets the facility we desperately need.”