PHCs across communities in Nigeria lack capacity to provide essential healthcare services —NGO

A non-government organisation (NGO) has decried the deplorable condition of a primary health centre (PHC) in Delta State where cellular phone lights are being used during delivery of babies.

“Our findings in Azagba Ogwashi healthcare centre proved that all is not well with our healthcare centres; no clean water, clinics are under staffed and without COVID-19 vaccine administration. To make matter worse, like I was told by one of the patient of Azagba PHC,  during delivery, phone is used as source of light,” representative of the group, ‘Follow The money’, in partnership with COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability Project (CTAP),” Ms Johnny Ebimobo-Ere Bella has disclosed.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Azagba Ogwashi in Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state organised by the group, Ms Bella revealed that 80 percent of the 30,000 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) established across communities in Nigeria, lack the capacity to provide essential healthcare services.

A non-government organisation, ‘Follow The money’ in partnership with CTAP, government in the 36 states and Abuja should be blamed for the poor state of Primary Healthcare (PHC) centres across the country.

“A large percentage of the vulnerable in Nigeria depend on primary healthcare, but  80 percent of the 30,000 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) established across communities in Nigeria lack the capacity to provide essential healthcare services.

“According to guideline of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) and in line with world standard requirement for PHCs, the following minimum standard must be met; functional separate toilet for male and female in the facility, availability of clean water supply within the PHC facility, connection to power grid and other regular alternative power source, delivery room, in-patient ward section, maternity lying-in-section and six Junior Community Health Extension Workers (JCHEW).

“Others are two health attendant assistant, four nurses and midwives, detached building of at least, 13 rooms, one pharmacy technician, one community health officer and one medical officer,” Ms Bella said.

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The CTAP representative further added that until the NPHCDA and its leadership, starts identifying the challenges facing PHC facilities across the country the PHC cannot provide effective healthcare services.

The Diokpa of Azagba Ogwashi, Chief Patrick Sunday Onyeahazia, said for the past 20 years, the healthcare centre in the community had remained unattended to, adding that “there is no improvement, no drugs and no light. We want government to come and fix it.”

A native, Mr. Isaac Okafor said that he was disappointed that government had abandoned their community.

“Even when the building being used for healthcare centre was built by the community, the government cannot equip the place to  provide essential healthcare services to the people,” Okafor said..

One of the representatives from the Azagba Ogwashi healthcare centre, Ogbe Aghogho, said that they have two working staff and six casuals who were engaged since 2018, after graduating from Schools of Nursing.