The United Nations Population Fund, in collaboration with the Sokoto State Contributory Health Care Management Agency, has begun a five-day training programme for 244 officers-in-charge of primary healthcare facilities in Sokoto State to improve healthcare management and accountability.
The training, holding from October 22 to 26, 2026, at Sokoto Guest Inn, focuses on facility needs assessment, business plan development, financial governance and effective resource management to strengthen primary healthcare delivery.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Friday, the Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State Ministry of Budget and Economic Development, Buhari Umar, urged participants to demonstrate transparency and accountability in managing healthcare facilities and public resources.
Umar said the officers had a critical role to play in improving healthcare services at the grassroots, noting that effective facility management was essential to delivering quality and accessible healthcare to residents.
“You have a significant responsibility to improve healthcare service delivery across the state. There is considerable room for improvement in the management of our primary healthcare facilities,” he said.
He urged the participants to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the training to address existing gaps in healthcare management, stressing the need for prudent resource utilisation and improved service delivery.
The permanent secretary described the officers as change agents whose professionalism and commitment would determine the success of efforts to strengthen primary healthcare services across the state.
“You must ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired during this training translate into tangible improvements in healthcare delivery for our people,” he added.
Umar further urged the participants to prioritise accountability in the use of funds allocated to their facilities, noting that efficient management of available resources would contribute to better health outcomes.
In their separate remarks, the UNFPA Programme Assistant, Dr Benedict Esoor, and the organisation’s Project Coordinator, Jamila Abubakar Gatawa, commended the Sokoto State Government and other stakeholders for their continued support for improving healthcare delivery.
They reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment to supporting initiatives that strengthen the health system, enhance primary healthcare management and promote accountability in the utilisation of healthcare resources.
The programme is being implemented under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund 2.0 initiative, which seeks to improve the delivery of essential primary healthcare services.
At the end of the training, the 244 officers are expected to be better equipped to identify facility needs, develop practical business plans and ensure the transparent and effective management of funds allocated to their healthcare centres.