The United Nations Children’s Fund has urged the Katsina State Government to equip, adequately staff and properly maintain a renovated Primary Health Care facility to ensure residents benefit from improved healthcare services.
The Punch reported that UNICEF made the call on Thursday during the handover of the Maternal and Child Health Centre, Bakiyawa, in Batagarawa Local Government Area of the state, to the Katsina State Government.
The facility was renovated with support from the Global Fund implementation programme as part of efforts to strengthen primary healthcare delivery, particularly for women, children and other vulnerable groups.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, UNICEF Health Manager, Kano Field Office, Dr Serekeberehan Seyoum, said the intervention was aimed at improving access to essential health services while providing a better working environment for healthcare personnel.
“This improved facility will contribute to better access to essential health services, enhanced working conditions for health workers, and improved health outcomes for women, children, and other vulnerable populations.
“The handover transferred responsibility for the management, utilisation and maintenance of the facility to the Katsina State Primary Health Care Agency,” he said.
Seyoum called on the state government to ensure that the centre had sufficient personnel, essential medicines and other medical supplies, while also providing regular maintenance.
“We encourage the state government to ensure adequate staffing, provision of essential supplies, routine maintenance, and the prompt commencement of quality service delivery so that communities can immediately benefit from this investment,” he said.
Responding, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Shema’u Kabir, said the UNICEF-supported project complemented the government’s ongoing efforts to revitalise primary healthcare centres across the state.
Kabir explained that while UNICEF handled the infrastructure upgrade, the state government would provide the equipment needed to make the facility fully operational.
“UNICEF has supported the government in improving the infrastructure of the facility, but the state government will provide all the necessary equipment that is required for the takeover of the facility,” Kabir said.
She added that health workers who were previously stationed at the centre would return to resume services after the renovation.
“Already there are healthcare workers that were working in the facility before the renovation commenced, they are going to move back to this facility and continue to provide the services,” she said.
Kabir, however, said the agency would first conduct an assessment to determine the equipment requirements before approaching the state government for additional support.
According to her, the state has adopted a policy of revitalising at least one primary healthcare facility in every ward, with attention to infrastructure, medical equipment, transportation and human resources.
“The government currently is revitalising one facility per ward,” she stated.
She disclosed that another healthcare facility in Bakiyawa had already received comprehensive support from the state government, including infrastructure upgrades, medical equipment, a tricycle, an ambulance and additional human resources.
Kabir praised UNICEF for its continued partnership with the state, particularly in improving maternal and child healthcare services.
“We want to appreciate UNICEF for supporting the Katsina State Government in improving maternal and child health services,” she said.
“UNICEF’s support extended beyond infrastructure to strengthening human resources and improving the quality of healthcare services provided to communities.
“UNICEF has been one of the major partners that we have been working with, and we will continue to collaborate to improve maternal and child health interventions and services in Katsina State,” Kabir assured the team.
The handover underscores the need to complement infrastructure upgrades with adequate equipment, medicines, qualified personnel and sustained maintenance to ensure renovated healthcare facilities translate into better services for communities.
Some residents, including Kabiru Agadadu Barkiyawa and Rasiyya Ahmed, also commended UNICEF and the Katsina State Government for investing in healthcare infrastructure in the community.
