The United Nations Children’s Fund has hinted that the optimal use of Primary Health Care is important and can strengthen the Health Sector in Nigeria.
The comments were made on Wednesday by the Chief of Health for UNICEF Nigeria, Dr Eduardo Celades, in Dutse, Jigawa State, at a two-day media dialogue and field trip on ‘Strengthening PHC systems: the United Nations Children’s Fund PHC Memorandum of Understanding in Jigawa State. UNICEF and the Child Rights Information Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Information organised the occasion.
In his comment, the UNICEF Chief of Health for Nigeria explained that primary health care was necessary as the main stronghold for health delivery. He noted that the sector has the capacity to treat and reduce the spread of disease. He also explained that it was important to look at ways to prevent the spread of diseases.
He elaborated that primary care centres across the country can deliver preventive measures to various disease outbreaks in the country. He listed some of the preventive measures as vaccination or immunisation. According to the data provided to him, vaccination has saved 154 million lives in the last 50 years.
He noted that the PHC was the best hospital to deliver such preventive measures but cited the sector’s weakness as the major problem in Nigeria, which has been characterised by a low number of workers, poor data, low funding, and weakness of the supply chain.
He disclosed that UNICEF is currently developing modalities to strengthen PHCs in the country and ensure that every individual is involved in the delivery of adequate healthcare.
Also speaking, the Director of Primary Health Care in Jigawa State, Dr Shehu Sambo, explained that the state has tried to use the resources obtained from the Gavi MoU to elevate the role of PHC in the state and create positive impacts among the residents.
He noted that the state has 281 active apex PHCs, with each on the road to having good housing for the midwives. According to him, the state government have decided to allocate adequate resources to the cause to help in the building.
He also disclosed that the state government had purchased much of the equipment, which will sent to hospitals once the projects are concluded. He noted that the state government was bent on improving the state of PHCs, which would improve the health and welding of the people, especially those in rural communities.
The Jigawa State Government, the Federal Government, the Nigeria Governors Forum, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF signed the MOU in 2022, which committed to improving routine immunisation and PHC systems and reducing deaths, particularly among women and children.
