Kaduna govt employs over 2,000 medical staff for 290 PHCs across LGAs

By: Muhammad Sabiu – Kaduna

Kaduna State Government has disclosed that over 2,000 medical staff have been employed for its 290 Primary Health Centres across the 23 local government areas of the state.

The state government also took delivery of N2.9bn worth of hospital equipment facilities spread across the 255 wards in the state.

Taking delivery of the equipment, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr Amina Mohammed-Baloni said over 2,000 medical staff have been employed to complement the acquired equipment at the PHCs.

The Commissioner also disclosed that the state government in its efforts to take healthcare closer to the people is also building 255 clinics in addition to the focal Primary Health Centers (PHCs).

According to Dr Baloni, “We are here to receive the equipment that Kaduna State Government bought for all the 255 focal PHCs in the state; as you know, we have 255 wards and in line with the implementation of the policy of Primary Healthcare Under One Roof, we have embarked on renovations, upgrades and now equipment of facilities.

“In addition to that, we have employed over 2,000 staff to make sure that these facilities are fully functional for 24 hours.

“This equipment was bought since last year at the value of about N2.9billion, for each of the facilities to be fully equipped and staff for services to be rendered the whole day.

“This equipment are not just for the 255 PHCs, but for 290. We have 255 focal PHCs in our 255 wards in the state, but there are some wards that are very big and we have added additional PHCs, which are being built, some have been completed. So, they are 290 all together and we have purchased this equipment for all of them.

“We are also building 255 clinics in addition to the PHCs, so as to improve access to care.

“Some of the major equipment that we have here include bed furniture, examination couch, hospital bed and mattresses, stainless steel drip stand, stools, Ward screen. We have lab instrument, which includes the microscope, different instruments to be used in the labour ward and in the open ward, baby warmer among others. So, it’s a whole range of all the equipment that you need to have a fully functional facility.

“This is a major achievement. We have been concentrating on infrastructure and you have to have the equipment, as well as the staff. You have to have the equipment as well as the staff. So, we have done the infrastructure, we have done staffing and this is the equipment best, they complement each other.

“We have put measures in place to ensure that the equipment are properly distributed, and put to use for the people,” she said.

Speaking at the event, Secretary of the Kaduna State Maternal Accountability Mechanism, Isah Gidado commended the state government for the giant stride, adding that the project was a product of advocacy by the civil society organizations in the state.

He, however, called on members of the communities not only to protect the equipment when deployed to the PHCs but make proper use of them for the better of women’s and children’s healthcare.

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