During the four-weeks blackout across northern Nigeria in October 2024, Marmara Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Kano Municipal operated for 24 hours when many health facilities were forced to shut down. Thanks to its newly installed solar-powered energy system, it continued to offer critical maternal and emergency care.
This transformation was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Ward Development Committee (WDC) and the Kano State Government, which expanded the existing solar infrastructure to ensure full-time electricity. Previously, the facility could only operate for six to seven hours daily on solar energy, limiting service hours and medical interventions.
The blackout, due to the collapse of the national grid, had severe repercussions across nine states, including Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, and Katsina. Many health facilities were crippled by the outage, affecting maternal and emergency healthcare services. However, Marmara PHC—a Level 2 facility—became a beacon of hope.
Tijjani Yawale, the Chairman of the WDC, emphasised the significance of the intervention at the time. Yawale said, “we thank God and Governor Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf for this achievement. Before the upgrade, we struggled with intermittent power supply, limiting our capacity to conduct deliveries and storing blood in the blood bank. Now, our facility remains open, even when others are forced to close due to the grid collapse.”
Umar Isa Mika’il, Deputy-in-Charge of the PHC’s laboratory, noted a dramatic increase in patient visits, “the number of patients seeking our services has risen by 45%. Previously, only 50% of Marmara residents accessed our care, but now, 85% do. With continuous power, our laboratory, blood bank, and delivery rooms are fully functional, allowing us to work around the clock.”
Health experts stress that stable electricity is critical for maternal and child healthcare. The ability to refrigerate blood for transfusions, maintain incubators for newborns, and ensure safe night-time deliveries significantly reduces maternal and infant mortality rates.
While the solar transformation has greatly enhanced healthcare services at Marmara PHC, the facility still faces infrastructure gaps. Key units such as paediatric, dental, and male wards are absent, limiting service provision. Additionally, space constraints hinder patient accommodation, prompting the facility to request government support for expansion.
The success of Marmara PHC aligns with Nigeria’s Health Sector Strategic Plan (2023-2026), particularly its second pillar, which prioritises equitable and high-quality healthcare. However, to sustain this progress, additional investments are needed.
Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch
The community urges Kano State Government and stakeholders to:
1. Expand the facility to accommodate more patients and children.
2. Construct paediatric, dental, and male wards to ensure comprehensive care.
As Nigeria works toward strengthening primary healthcare, Marmara PHC serves as a model of resilience and innovation. With continued investment, more communities can experience the transformative power of reliable healthcare infrastructure.