Kaduna to complete upgrade of 255 health clinics in six weeks

By Sola Ojo, Abuja

The Kaduna State government has announced plans to complete the upgrade of 255 health clinics across the 255 political wards in the state within the next six months.

Focal Person, Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, Danjuma Muhammed, stated this on the sidelines of a two-day Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Anchor IV grant project assessment meeting organised by Save the Children International, held at a hotel in Kaduna.

According to Danjuma Muhammed, Desk Officer, Primary Health Care Board, Kaduna State, the upgrade is part of the state’s efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

He stressed that the clinics would be raised to phase two standards, which include being climate-resilient, having at least 13 rooms, running water, adequate toilets, and accommodation for staff.

He said about 185 of the clinics have already been upgraded to solar systems, and the state government has also secured funding to revitalise 143 facilities within the next six weeks.

“The idea came from the National Assembly as one of the achievements the current administration wants to accomplish as far as Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is concerned, and one of the cardinal ways of achieving this is to ensure that our PHCs meet the recommended standard.

“To meet this required standard, PHCs are grouped into phases one, two, and three. Kaduna State PHCs are under phase one. So, the need to raise these facilities to phase two came up.

“What will make that happen is that they have to be climate-resilient. That is, the structure of the PHCs must have at least 13 rooms and, of course, running water in essential rooms, an adequate number of toilets to cater for patients and staff.

“Then, accommodation for the staff. At least every facility should have two self-contained apartments to accommodate the staff to ensure 24-hour service, especially for midwives.

“Again, all the facilities should be fenced and lighted. Kaduna State has gone far in this regard. About 185 of these PHCs have been upgraded to solar systems by the state government.

“Now, talking about staffing, the Impact project has done a good thing by ensuring that every facility gets ₦100,000 per month to engage ad-hoc staff to complement the existing staff.

“This is starting in the year 2025. All these are part of the revitalisation I talked about earlier. Currently, the Impact project, which is a grant from the World Bank through the federal government, where Kaduna is lucky to be one of the selected states, is touching 143 facilities to be revitalised within the next six weeks.

“As we speak, out of the seven slots that have been grouped for this, the contractors have been mobilised to start the revitalisation.

“Let me add that the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund is not standing alone. We also have six PHCs that are going to be upgraded as constituency projects. So, it is only 34 that we don’t have funds to revitalise.

“But, as of recently, even UNICEF is showing interest, and we are encouraging other partners to come and support the state so that the remaining 43 can be revitalised and moved to phase II PHCs,” Danjuma appealed.