FG ‘revitalises’ 4,434 PHCs, expands access to quality healthcare services

The federal government says it has revitalised 4,434 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) nationwide, to expand access to quality healthcare services.

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Muyi Aina, stated this during the agency’s quarterly media briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Aina said the reforms followed an assessment that revealed PHCs were in poor condition when the current administration began implementing health sector reforms.

“We embarked on a very ambitious reform programme to improve the service readiness of health facilities,” he said.

“We took an honest look at the state of the primary health centres, and it wasn’t very good when we started.”

He, however, said the agency had made remarkable progress toward making high-quality PHCs facilities more accessible to Nigerians.

“I’m glad to announce that we have now either completed or are almost completing the refurbishment and revitalisation of 4,434 facilities,” he said.

He said that 3,526 facilities were renovated, commissioned and handed over to states and local government councils, while work was ongoing in 908 others.

According to Mr Aina, the revitalised facilities are spread across the 36 states and almost every local government area to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare.

“We took an equity lens, factoring existing access, alternative providers, distance and availability of options for people,” he said.

Mr Aina said that the agency was targeting one Level-2 PHC in every ward, and 8,800 Level-1 facilities nationwide.

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He said that the number of Level-2 PHCs had increased by 59 per cent compared to March 2024, while 53 per cent of the 27,000 PHC facilities under active engagement were now functional.

The NPHCDA boss said that all Level-2 facilities were being equipped with reliable electricity, solar power systems, water supply and sanitation infrastructure.

“Solarisation is a critical part of this revitalisation. You are required to have reliable water and sanitation facilities,” he said.

Mr Aina said that the agency also introduced a live, geocoded dashboard on its website, to improve transparency, accountability and public access to information on primary healthcare services.

He said Nigerians could use the platform to locate the nearest PHCs and view the services available at each facility.

(NAN)