Adamawa to rehabilitate 145 primary healthcare centres – ADPHCDA boss
The Adamawa State Government has announced plans to rehabilitate about 145 primary healthcare centres across the state as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen access to quality healthcare services for the people.
The Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ADPHCDA), Dr. Sulaiman Saidu Bashir, disclosed this during an interview with journalists sequel to a visit by reporters to the Nassarawo Demsa Primary Healthcare Centre in Demsa Local Government Area of the state.
During the field stakeholders appealed to the state government to urgently intervene in upgrading the facility, citing its strategic importance in serving the large population within the area.
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Responding to the concerns, Dr. Bashir acknowledged the importance of the facility, describing it as one of the high-output primary healthcare centres in the state with a large catchment population.
According to him, the agency is fully aware of the condition of the facility and has already identified it as one of the centres requiring revitalization.
“Indeed, Nassarawo Demsa is one of our high output primary healthcare facilities and we are very cognizant of its strategic location,” he said.
He explained that the facility serves a densely populated area with high fertility rates, making it a key centre for maternal and child health services.
Dr. Bashir said the government’s revitalization plan for primary healthcare facilities focuses on five key components, including perimeter fencing, infrastructure improvement, provision of staff quarters, 24-hour solar electricity supply, and uninterrupted water supply.
He noted that Nasarawo Demsa had earlier been considered in the first batch of facilities slated for revitalization but faced challenges due to lack of available land for expansion.
“One of the constraints we encountered is the absence of land for expansion of additional components such as staff housing. The surrounding community is densely populated, but discussions with community leaders on how to address this challenge are ongoing,” he explained.
The ADPHCDA chairman assured that the facility would still benefit from government intervention as the revitalization programme progresses in phases.
“We are very optimistic that we will do something this year in that facility and in similar facilities across the state,” he said.
Dr. Bashir further revealed that the state government has already made significant investments in the health sector, including the construction of more than 100 new primary healthcare clinics and the ongoing rehabilitation of about 127 others.
He added that the agency has mapped out facilities requiring attention and has carefully costed the interventions to ensure effective implementation.
“As a responsive government, we have tracked, mapped and identified the facilities that need intervention. The work is being done in phases,” he said.
Dr. Bashir further disclosed that the government is targeting the rehabilitation of 145 primary healthcare centres within the current phase of the programme.
He emphasized that the initiative aligns with Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s directive that no community should be left behind in accessing healthcare services.
“To the people of Adamawa State, I can confidently say we have never had it this good in primary healthcare. The directive from His Excellency is clear; leave no one behind and nothing untouched,” Bashir said.
He noted that improved facilities, better staffing, and increased availability of medical equipment and supplies have already resulted in a significant rise in the utilization of services in many primary healthcare centres across the state.
