FG to increase PHCs from 8,300 to 17,600

The  Federal Government said it will work in collaboration with State governments and development partners to expand the Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs, from 8,300 to 17, 600 nationwide over the next four years. 

The initiative will be complemented with the training of 120,000 Frontline Health Workers, expected to be flagged off soon as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. 

Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate disclosed this in his Keynote address at the 2-day meeting of North East Forum of Honourable Commissioners of Health flagged off in Maiduguri.

Pate who was represented by the Executive Director of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina said the 3 pronged strategic approach adopted by the Agency include Institutional Strengthening and effective coordination of all Primary Healthcare services, efficient, equitable, quality and trust worthy services, and strong collaboration with all Stakeholders towards achieving frontline health security and routinised basic health care services among others. 

He emphasised the need for collective interventions of Federal,  State and Development Partners to be more people centred and well coordinated to achieve overall sustainable goals.

The North East like much of Nigeria, he regretted, still has unacceptably poor health induces which calls for strong collaboration rather than fragmentation of efforts at national and Sub national levels.

 

The Coordinating Minister of Health said" the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme which encapsulates our strategic vision for the sector” was geared towards cohesive common goal to save lives, reduce both physical and financial pains and produce health for all Nigerians.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Governor of Bornu State, Prof Baba Gana Umara Zulum called on the World Health Organisations, WHO, to fulfil its promises to Bornu State while also prioritizing enhanced TB reduction and management, provision of DNA Machines for Gender Based Violence management, construction of hospitals in Biu and Munguno LGAs. 

Gana noted that “These promises were not mere expression of goodwill; they represented lifelines for our people, for mothers delivering children, for victims of unimaginable violence, for entire communities struggling against diseases