by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Governor Uba Sani (of Kaduna State) has bagged five Awards from different health sector unions, for “revitalizing healthcare delivery and improving on the welfare of their personnel” since he assumed office.
The awards were presented to him on Tuesday at the commissioning of the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board Headquarters, where the governor also flagged-off of the distribution of medical equipment and ambulances.
The Kaduna State Council of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives and the Kaduna State chapter of Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria gave him separate awards.
The governor also bagged awards from Kaduna State chapters of National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria and the Association of Medical Laboratory Technicians and Assistants of Nigeria.
Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Uba Sani listed some of his administration’s achievements in the health sector in the last two-and-half years.
He said that his government has revitalized – and upgraded – 255 Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) to Level-2 status, the largest number in the country, which is aimed at expanding access to quality healthcare in underserved areas.
The governor has also “established 23 PHC Centres of Excellence – 1 in each LGA – to serve as centres for more advanced care and hub for data generation and patient referrals.”
“We have established 120 new neonatal corners across the state, significantly reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality, especially in the rural and underserved areas,” he added.
Governor Uba Sani has also “procured three Oxygen Plants with a robust carrier system to supply other facilities, in order to reduce morbidity and mortality attributable to emergency cases.”
Kaduna State Government, under his leadership, has also “renovated 19 General Hospitals across the state to enhance secondary healthcare services as befitting referral centres from PHCs.”
He also listed the upgrading of the KADHSMA Warehouse to a pharma-grade facility with a 1,600sqm storage space, ensuring uninterrupted availability of essential medicines.
According to him, Kaduna State has commenced payment of full 2024 CONMESS and CONHESS Salary Scales, adding that it has cleared all promotion backlogs.
Governor Uba Sani also said that the flagging-off of the distribution of modern medical equipment and ambulances to Primary Health Care facilities, which held on Tuesday, is aimed at improving service delivery, emergency response, and referral systems across the State.
He pointed out that, “This is the 2nd tranche of state-of-the-art medical equipment distributed to our PHCs by our administration since our assumption of office.
“We strongly believe that no mother should lose her life, while giving birth, and no child should die from preventable causes because essential equipment or timely transportation is unavailable,” he asserted.
The governor also noted that, “The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board Headquarters is the biggest of its kind, nationwide,” adding that, “It will serve as the nerve-center for driving reforms, monitoring performance, and ensuring that every Primary Health Care facility across our Wards functions optimally.”
While welcoming newly-recruited 1,800 health workers into the health system, the governor emphasized that “they are the 1st set of the Annual Staff Recruitment we are embarking upon over the period of five consecutive years.
“This bold recruitment drive demonstrates our recognition that infrastructure and equipment alone are not enough – people are the backbone of healthcare,” he argued.
The governor was optimistic thus: “My administration has consistently prioritized primary healthcare because we believe it is the foundation of a functional health system and a critical pathway to achieving Universal Health Coverage.
“Through facility revitalization, improved governance under the Primary Health Care Under ‘One Roof’ policy, health workforce expansion, and strategic partnerships, we are ensuring that quality healthcare is accessible to all, regardless of location or socioeconomic status,” he added.