In the wake of a recent publication by Sahara Reporters, the facts of which were based on a report by a self-styled civil society organisation, MonIT.NG, alleging damning neglect of healthcare services in Kebbi state, one cannot help but interrogate both the motive and methodology behind such a sweeping indictment. The group’s report centred around the Primary Health Clinic (PHC) in Rafin Kirya, Shanga local government area, claiming it is a symbol of total healthcare failure in the state. However, painting the entire healthcare sector in Kebbi state with the brush of one facility’s condition is, at best, disingenuous and, at worst, a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and misrepresent the efforts of a government, barely two years in office, working assiduously to steadily address decades-old rot in the healthcare system.
Let us be clear: no one is denying the challenges that exist within our health infrastructure. Even the governor of Kebbi state himself is on record to have openly acknowledged the plight of some of our health facilities. In a transparent and pragmatic tone, he declared that it is precisely because some patients lie on bare floors in some health facilities that the state government has prioritised the accelerated rehabilitation of general hospitals across the state. This is not an administration that hides behind public relations; it is one that confronts problems with courage, vision, and sincerity.
But to ignore these efforts and selectively spotlight a single facility to indict an entire system is intellectually lazy. MonITNG’s visit to Rafin Kirya PHC might have uncovered certain inadequacies, but what the report conveniently ignored is that Kebbi State’s healthcare reforms are ongoing and strategic, not cosmetic or one-off. The government has launched a phased rehabilitation of general hospitals to decentralise access to secondary healthcare services and reduce the pressure on tertiary hospitals in Birnin Kebbi.
From Yauri to Argungu, from Zuru to Koko, general hospitals are undergoing repairs, equipment upgrades, and infrastructure expansion. These are not token projects to tick boxes for political applause but long-term investments that speak to a government thinking beyond its tenure. The very same administration accused of neglect has harmonised the salaries of medical doctors across the state, thereby closing the wage disparity that had long frustrated healthcare professionals. In addition to this, hundreds of nurses and other medical personnel have been recruited to strengthen the human resources for health delivery in both urban and rural facilities.
Primary healthcare, which is the bedrock of any sustainable health system, is also receiving deserved attention. Many PHCs across the state are being renovated, reequipped, and restaffed. The Rafin Kirya clinic, while perhaps still in need of attention, is not a fair representation of the state’s PHC network. Rather than dismissing government’s interventions wholesale, a balanced civic watchdog should have evaluated both the gaps and the gains, and won’t rely on one hospital to discredit all others in the state.
What is even more puzzling is MonITNG’s quick descent into rhetorical grandstanding, asking rhetorical questions like “where is the accountability for these funds?” without presenting any concrete evidence of misappropriation. The reference to funds from the World Bank and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) may sound good for dramatic effect, but it would serve the public better if such claims were accompanied by a thorough understanding of how those funds are disbursed and utilised. These funds are often tied to specific performance-based conditions and are managed under strict frameworks involving both federal and state oversight.
Moreover, the assumption that all donor-funded programmes must reflect immediately in every health facility in the state is simplistic and ignores the realities of implementation. Health interventions are often targeted, phased, and resource-driven. Not all facilities are captured in every funding cycle. That does not amount to neglect. It simply reflects the limitations of funding and the need to prioritise based on data, need, and population density.
We must resist the temptation to weaponise isolated incidents against the bigger picture of progress. This government has not only budgeted for health but is also actively implementing those budgets with a focus on sustainability and equity. A total of over N10 billion was earmarked for health in 2023, and there are already visible signs that these funds are not just sitting on paper but are being translated into tangible results. The renovation of hospitals, employment of personnel, procurement of medical supplies, and strengthening of administrative systems all testify to this.
Residents of Rafin Kirya deserve better, no doubt. And if the state has not yet reached their facility with the wave of reforms currently ongoing, then advocacy should focus on inclusion, not condemnation. Civic organisations have a critical role to play in governance, but that role must be played with integrity, depth, and fairness. Misinformation masquerading as activism does no good to the people whose interest we all claim to serve.
Instead of tearing down, why not build up? Why not offer collaboration and constructive criticism, backed by data and a genuine desire to see results? The Kebbi State Government is not above scrutiny, but that scrutiny must be rooted in truth and context.
As stakeholders, we should all be asking: How do we collectively ensure that no community is left behind in the delivery of quality healthcare? How do we strengthen the monitoring and evaluation systems to track budget implementation? How do we build local accountability structures that complement state efforts?
These are the kinds of questions that advance the conversation. Anything less is a disservice to the people of Kebbi State. Anything less amounts to pure mischief which does no one any good.
In summary, the MonITNG report, while perhaps well-intentioned, fails to capture the breadth and depth of what is being done to reform healthcare in Kebbi State. The situation at Rafin Kirya, regrettable as it is, does not represent the full picture. There is a journey in motion—one that requires patience, support, and balanced commentary, not sensationalism.
Let us not allow selective outrage to drown the sound of steady progress. Let us always endeavour to interrogate entire processes, demand information and follow paper trails to reach informed conclusions; conclusions that mirror the collective progress of our people and the genuine challenges desperately in need of action.