By Abubakar Rabilu
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has rated Gombe State as the best-performing state in primary healthcare delivery in the North-East geopolitical zone.
UNICEF Health Officer, Mr Oluseyi Olosunde, disclosed this at an orientation workshop organised by the Gombe State Ministry of Local Government and Community Development for newly elected chairmen of the 11 local government areas (LGAs) and 13 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
Olosunde attributed the recognition to the state government’s sustained efforts to strengthen primary healthcare, particularly in maternal and child health, immunisation and the development of functional primary healthcare centres (PHCs).
He commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for his commitment to improving grassroots healthcare, saying primary healthcare remained the most accessible form of healthcare for the majority of Nigerians, especially those in rural communities.
He, however, stressed that strengthening PHCs went beyond constructing buildings, noting that facilities must be equipped with qualified health personnel, essential medicines, electricity, water, medical equipment and functional referral systems.
Olosunde also called for sustained implementation of the “Primary Healthcare Under One Roof” policy, which seeks to place the management of primary healthcare under a single authority for effective coordination, planning and monitoring.
While acknowledging Gombe State’s progress, he said more needed to be done to address gaps in antenatal care attendance, skilled birth attendance and exclusive breastfeeding.
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The Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Barrister Sani Ahmad Haruna, said the state was “on the right track” in primary healthcare delivery, attributing the progress to the commitment of Governor Yahaya and sustained support for health workers and facilities.
Haruna called for stronger communication between PHC authorities and local government chairmen to promote ownership, accountability and better service delivery.
He also advocated increased funding for healthcare, greater utilisation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and improved access to healthcare services in remote communities.
The commissioner further called for consideration of free medication for people living with sickle cell disease and regular review meetings among stakeholders to monitor progress.
“Pregnancy should not be a death sentence. Why should a woman who is giving life lose her own life in the process?” he asked.
Presenting the state’s second-quarter performance, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency (GSPHCDA), Mr Estakis Christopher, said the state recorded improvement in immunisation coverage.
He, however, noted a gap between the number of children who received the first dose of the pentavalent vaccine and those who completed the third dose.
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Christopher also attributed the disparity between total deliveries and skilled birth attendance to shortages of qualified health personnel in some health facilities.
The Executive Secretary of GSPHCDA, Abdurrahman Shuaibu, urged the chairmen to strengthen collaboration with development partners and participate actively in routine immunisation and other healthcare campaigns.