Kaduna state government on Thursday released the findings of its 2025 Health Facility Census, a comprehensive mapping of public and private health facilities across all 23 Local Government Areas, aimed at strengthening health planning, budgeting and service delivery.
The dissemination meeting, held in Kaduna, brought together government agencies, development partners, health professionals and civil society organisations to review the census outcome, which officials described as a major step toward evidence-based governance.
In his remarks as Special Guest, the Commissioner for Planning and Budget Commission, Mukhtar Ahmed, said the exercise aligns with the state’s commitment to strategic budgeting and prudent resource allocation.
He said accurate and reliable data remains the foundation of effective governance, noting that the census will guide infrastructure planning, service readiness assessments and equitable investments across the health sector.
“We commend the Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Health, the Primary Health Care Board and Mindset Nigeria for delivering this census with methodological rigour and international best practices,” he said.
“The findings are crucial for planning cycles and budget projections, and will support Kaduna State in strengthening healthcare delivery for all residents.”
Ahmed also acknowledged the support of the Gates Foundation, describing the funding as a reflection of its commitment to health system transformation.
Earlier, the Statistician-General of Kaduna State and Chief Executive Officer of the Bureau of Statistics, Dr Baba B. Alhaji, welcomed participants to what he described as a milestone in the state’s drive for credible and comprehensive data.
He said the census covered primary, secondary and tertiary facilities across all LGAs, assessing their staffing levels, equipment, accessibility and service availability, including maternal health, malaria, family planning and other programmes.
“The census provides an up-to-date understanding of our health facilities and aligns with the human capital development agenda of Governor Uba Sani,” he said.
Dr Alhaji outlined a series of quality assurance measures deployed during the exercise, including multi-layer supervision, field monitoring, data auditing, and random spot checks to validate submissions from enumerators.
The Statistician-General also commended the NATVIEW Foundation for Technology Innovation (NFTI) and Mindset Nigeria for updating the Health Facility Census dashboard and providing technical support that enhanced data quality, management and visualization.
Speaking on the role of Mindset Nigeria, Senior Technical Manager, Fumi Oyerinde, said the census identified both known and previously undocumented facilities by cross-checking with the National Facility Registry, the DHIS database and GRID3 maps.
She said enumerators then assessed each facility to determine the services offered, available equipment, staffing levels and readiness to deliver essential healthcare.
“This information is critical to planning,” she explained.
“If a facility in a ward does not provide delivery services, the state now has evidence to upgrade staffing or equipment. This helps reduce maternal mortality and ensures that essential services are closer to the people.”
Oyerinde said the collaboration among the Ministry of Health, the Primary Health Care Board, the Bureau of Statistics and Mindset Nigeria ensured accuracy and alignment with national health planning needs.
She added that the updated master facility list now housed within the Bureau will support all partners and government agencies working in the state.
Officials described the census as a foundation for targeted interventions and future reforms aimed at strengthening primary healthcare, reducing mortality rates and improving equitable access to health services.
