For residents like Rafi’atu Ibrahim, Safiya Saleh, and Saudat Sa’id, Sharada Primary Healthcare (PHC) in Kano State is more than just a medical facility but a sanctuary for support.
Rafi’atu, who is a mother of three, said she has found a sense of belonging and comfort at the facility. “The officer in charge of the ante-natal unit made me feel at ease,” she noted, “her dedication to group counselling sessions helped me through challenging times. I recommended the PHC to a lot of my neighbours who required ante-natal care services.”
Image credit: Nigeria health Watch
While it is a haven for many women, Rafi’atu also talks about the challenges faced such as equipment shortages and the cost of essential medications. “I recall a visit where they had to improvise with nylon due to shortages of medical gloves. We need more resources and government support to ensure consistent care,” Rafi’atu explained.
Safiya Saleh also echoed Rafi’atu’s sentiment about the strong bond between the community members and the PHC. “The workers here treat us with respect,” she told Nigeria Health Watch. “Yet, we need improvements: more toilets, improved environmental sanitation, and the capability to perform Caesarean Sections [CS] onsite,” Safiya added that accessible roads and effective drainage systems are also critical.
Najib Aliyu, Deputy Officer in Charge of the facility, acknowledges these challenges but emphasised on the management’s proactive community engagement strategies. “We treat patients like family. Our group counselling sessions provide vital support, ensuring holistic care beyond medical treatments.“
He told Nigeria Health Watch that the goal of the facility is to enhance resident retention and engagement, such as community registration for immunisations and incentive partnerships with NGOs. “We noticed that some would come once and never return, so we decided to involve ward heads and village heads in Kano Municipal LGA. Registers were provided to record the women accessing ante-natal services at this facility in all the areas. If one is supposed to come back today and doesn’t, the ward or village head will investigate the reason. They will call her husband to understand why she didn’t return.“
“Additionally, we partner with an NGO, the New Incentives, in our immunisation programs. They give out N1,000 as transport fare to parents to encourage them to come for routine immunisation. We also collaborate with them and other NGOs to visit [remote] communities where children can be immunised at home. These efforts have significantly improved follow-up rates and immunisation coverage,” he added.
Image credit: Nigeria health Watch
Despite the PHC’s 24-hour operations, with comprehensive ante-natal care and family planning services including the new addition of an X-ray machine, the PHC is struggling to cater for the community’s growing healthcare demands. With only three beds in the facility, the healthcare workers are faced with the daunting task of catering to the needs of more than 10 women who give birth daily.
Nigeria’s plan to renew the health sector revolves around a comprehensive four-point agenda and expanding the domestic production and consumption of essential medical supplies or commodities adds to the unlocking value chains agenda, which is the third point of the agenda. Creating an efficient, equitable, and quality healthcare systems by improving the quality-of-service delivery will also enhance the overall health outcomes of the Nigerians, especially those living in underserved communities.
Therefore, addressing the issues of commodity stockout in Sharada PHC through effective supply chain management and improving the infrastructural access, construction and maintenance of sanitary facilities are crucial to deliver on the improvement of quality service delivery. This will boost and encourage the efforts and dedication of the facility staff to meet the healthcare needs in Sharada and beyond.
The community members and staff of Sharada PHC are urging the government, philanthropists, and concerned individuals to help and address the following needs:
- Availability of commodities in the facility such as gloves.
- Infrastructure-access to the facility when it rains and construction more toilets.