Kaduna state government has taken delivery of N2.9 billion worth of hospital equipment purchased for it’s 290 Primary Healthcare Center (PHC) facilities spread across the 255 wards in the state.
Taking delivery of the equipment on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Amina Mohammed Baloni, said over 2,000 medical staff have been employed to complement the acquired equipment, adding that the state government in its efforts to take healthcare closer to the people, is also building 255 clinics in addition to the focal PHCs.
According to Dr. Baloni, “We are here to receive the equipment that Kaduna state government bought for all the 255 focal PHCs in the state. We have 255 wards and in line with the implementation of the policy of Primary Healthcare Under One Roof, we have embarked on renovations, upgrades and now equipment of facilities. In addition to that, we have employed over 2,000 staff to make sure that, these facilities are fully functional for 24hours.
“These equipment was bought since last year at the value of about N2.9 billion, for each of the facilities to be fully equipped and staffed for services to be rendered the whole day. These equipment are not just for the 255 PHCs, but for 290. We have 255 focal PHCs in our 255 wards in the state, but there some wards that are very big and we have added additional PHCs, which are being built, some have been completed. So, they are 290 all together and we have purchased these equipment for all of them.
“We are also building 255 clinics in addition to the PHCs, to improve access to healthcare. Some of the major equipment that we have here include bed furniture, examination couch, hospital bed and mattresses, stainless steel drip stand, stools, ward screen. We have laboratory instruments, which include the microscope, different instruments to be used in the labour ward and in the open ward, baby warmer among others. It’s a whole range of all the equipments that you need to have a fully functional facility.
“This is a major achievement. We have been concentrating on infrastructure and you have to have the equipment, as well as the staff. So, we have done the infrastructure, we have done staffing and this is the best equipment, they complement each other. We have put measures in place to ensure that the equipment are properly distributed, and put to use for the people.”
Speaking at the event, Secretary Kaduna state Maternal Accountability Mechanism, Isah Gidado, commended the state government for the giant stride, adding that, the project was a product of advocacy by the civil society organisations in the state.
He however called on members of the communities, not only to protect the equipment when deployed to the PHCs, but make proper use of them for the better of women and children healthcare.
