From WILLIE ATTAH, Gombe
The World Bank, through its IMPACT project and the Gombe State Government, have revitalised and handed over no fewer than 103 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to communities in different parts of the state.
This is in addition to 66 health clinics solely revitalised by the Gombe State Government in an effort to improve on the poor maternal child health indicators in the state.
World Bank’s IMPACT project, along with the Gombe State Government, aim to address Immunization Plus and Malaria, as well as ensure progress by accelerating coverage and transformation services in vulnerable rural communities.
The Task Team Lead of the World Bank IMPACT project, Dr Onoriode Ezire; National Project Coordinator of the IMPACT project, Dr Amina Abdu-One Mohammed; NPHCDA team; and the Gombe State Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, who led heads of agencies in the state’s health sector, undertook an intensive three-day tour of some selected facilities in all the three senatorial zones of the state to hand over the centres to the host communities.
Notable officials during the tour were from the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency and the state’s Contributory Health Insurance Agency (GoHealth), who tasked the communities to own the facilities by securing and utilising them through patronage.
The three-day tour was rounded up in Akko Gari PHC where the State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, through his deputy, Dr Manasseh Daniel Jatau, described the execution of the IMPACT project as a major milestone in the administration’s drive to strengthen primary health care across the state.
Dr Jatau said the event was a testament to the administration’s deep commitment to the health and well-being of the people, adding that “We have consistently increased funding for healthcare in our state budget from 3.5% in 2019 to 15% today, in line with the Abuja Declaration.”
Other achievements, according to the deputy governor, included the establishment of the
Gombe State Contributory Health Agency, with over 300,000 beneficiaries, and improved drug availability through the Drug Management Agency.
The Commissioner of Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, explained that the revitalisation programme was initiated to correct poor health indices in the state, particularly in maternal health, malnutrition and zero-dose vaccination.
He called on traditional and community leaders to encourage residents to make full use of the facilities.
Technical Team Lead of the IMPACT project, Dr Onoriode Ezire, praised the Gombe State Government for its prudent use of resources, stressing, “the State has set an example by constructing high-quality health structures with little funds.”
Our correspondent reports that, with this development, all the revitalised facilities have now been upgraded to level 2 PHCs where they now have standard equipment to use such as labour rooms, staff quarters, immunization facilities, ANC, improved access and procurement of drugs, medical consumables, furniture, engagement of more qualified manpower, pharmacy, VIP toilets, 24/7 solar-powered lights and solar-powered boreholes, among many others.
At different communities, during the tour, the community leaders and the people, particularly women, expressed excitement over the development, promising to take ownership of the facilities by protecting and making judicious use of them.
Few women who spoke to our correspondent said the revitalised facilities would make a great impact on them and their children.
Some of the facilities visited were, Barwa Winde PHC in Nafada LGA, Jillahi PHC in Funakaye LGA, Doho PHC in Kwami LGA, Dangar PHC in Yamaltu-Deba LGA and Gidan Magani in Gombe LGA.