*Says each ward in Nigeria needs primary health care centre

By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA–THE federal government, Thursday,reiterated commitment to the revitalisation of primary health care services in the country, even as it admitted that the journey towards desirable health system and outcomes is still long. 

The governoment which said the primary health care has been neglected, with consequent negative impact on human capital development, however,said the country has “opportunities to build back better, with the goodwill and funds that have flowed into the system.”

• Red Cross, police partner to tackle violence against health workers 

Minister of Health,Osagie Ehanire,who spoke at the 2022 Primary Health Care Summit,in Abuja,said every ward in the country needed a primary health care centre.

Noting that,”The primary health care level has been neglected, with consequent negative impact on human capital development”,the minister said:”But we also have opportunities to build back better, with the goodwill and funds that have flowed into the system since then.”

“It is in that light that we wish to rebuild our system by correcting the imbalance among the levels of care, beginning with this PHC summit”,he said.

Açcording to him,”The Federal Ministry of Health wishes to build on gains of the past and partner with all sectors to achieve national and global targets.”

“Nigeria has altogether invested overwhelmingly in tertiary healthcare, from public, private and corporate points of view, and in comparison, little on Primary Healthcare,  where the real health need is and where nearly all the damning statistics in health indices are generated.

 “Secondary healthcare has also suffered neglect. However, PHC service delivery has been enhanced by the federal government with the injection of Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, and also with improvement in immunization coverage and use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to track service, supply chain and upgrade data quality. Our COVID-19 response praised by both World Health Organization and the United Nations; but much more needs to be done, cost effectively to make Health services available, acceptable, accessible and affordable to 90% of citizens,  even at the grassroots,”he added.

Ehanire said,”Revitalizing Primary Health Care Centres is central to this initiative and key to Mr President’s health agenda and Ministry of Health’s effort to reposition PHCs to deliver quality healthcare service irrespective of location,”adding:” This is the first step in reversing poor health indices, improving citizen quality of life and economic productivity.”

Noting also thet,”Nigeria’s health system is a shared responsibility by federal, state and local governments”,he said:”In practice, however, it is assumed that primary healthcare is a local government responsibility, Secondary care, a responsibility of state governments and tertiary, of the federal government.”

” The lack of clarity does not allow each tier to stay in their presumed area of work. State governments prefer building tertiary hospitals in the capital city, while federal has to develop PHCs. 

He lamented the neglect of investment in primary health centres in rural areas. 

“The low Investment in PHCs does not take us towards achieving Universal Health Coverage, neither will huge hospitals in the city, which only serve the needs of the majority city dwellers. 

“The poor cannot even afford transport fare to the city. Meanwhile, surrounding General Hospitals and Primary healthcare centers are not functional,”he said.

Açcording to him,”A shift of attention to face the actual problems at a fraction of the cost of giant hospitals, is what is now needed”, adding:”One simple PHC infrastructure per Ward, one doctor, if available, trained nurses and birth attendants, worthy staff quarters, water borehole, solar powered lighting, a secure perimeter fence and essential medicines and health commodities supply, are all that rural and suburban PHCs need, to bring universal health coverage within reach.”

The minister,who said:”Our 10-year country-specific PHC transformation strategy is based on a 4-point agenda and in line with best standards”,said” Our call is to re-build a sustainable primary care system, offering services that meet citizen needs, through the course of a life time.”

“I am therefore, calling on all and sundry to support and pursue this agenda: a minimum one PHC per ward revitalization, starting now,”he appealed.

The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, speaking at the event with the theme:“Re-imagining Primary Health Care in Nigeria”, said that Nigeria has a four point PHC agenda to implement.

The four-point agenda,he said,”is about implementing strategies that work and also thinking about those strategies that will drive more service delivery and revilitalisation of our primary health care sectors in Nigeria.”

” Everybody here today has a part to play in changing the current state of our primary health cares. Now is the time for us to talk and deliver solutions that will radically transform the PHCs in Nigeria,”Shuaib added.2