Lafia, Nasarawa State (Nigeria): Governor Abdullahi Sule has approved ₦1 billion for the procurement of essential medical equipment for Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across Nasarawa State.
Dr Usman Iskilu-Saleh, Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, disclosed this during a press conference on Tuesday in Lafia.
He said that the approval was part of ongoing efforts to revitalise at least one functional primary healthcare centre in each of the 147 wards of the state by 2027.
According to him, 58 facilities that were earlier revitalised under the World Bank programme have been completed. At the same time, an additional nine are being funded directly by the state government, six by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and nine more by UNICEF.
The executive secretary noted that staffing gaps had been addressed through the recruitment of 1,586 health workers in 2023 and an additional 681 in 2025, resulting in a total of 2,267 new staff members.
“These staff include nurses, midwives, community health extension workers, pharmacy technicians, laboratory staff and doctors who have already been deployed to various primary healthcare facilities,” he said.
Iskilu-Saleh explained that the new equipment to be procured includes blood pressure machines, glucometers, thermometers, weighing scales, ultrasound scanners, centrifuges, microscopes, and essential drugs.
He noted that the interventions had increased patronage of primary healthcare facilities across the state and positioned Nasarawa as a model in the country.
The executive secretary commended Sule for prioritising healthcare delivery through his constant support and intervention.
He added that the agency would maintain accountability and community engagement to ensure the delivery of quality services.