June 30, (THEWILL) — The Senior Pastor of Graceville Christian Centre, Pastor Tunde Ayeni, set the tone for renewed discussions on the state of primary health in the country when he called on the Federal Government to prioritise the revitalisation of primary healthcare centres across the country, stressing that quality and accessible healthcare is critical to national development.
Speaking in Abuja on Sunday, Ayeni lamented the poor state of primary healthcare centres in Nigeria, attributing it to poor funding by the government.
He noted that only about 20 per cent of the country’s 30,000 primary healthcare centres are functional.
He said, ” We also call upon other organisations, governmental bodies, and benevolent individuals to join hands with us in addressing the pressing health and economic challenges faced by our society. Collaboration is key to building a healthier, more prosperous Nigeria.
Citing statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, Ayeni noted that 63 per cent of Nigerians, approximately 113 million people, are living in multidimensional poverty, with limited access to basic health services forming part of the deprivations they suffer.
Indeed, the state of primary healthcare in Nigeria is currently facing significant challenges, with a large percentage of facilities lacking the capacity to deliver essential services. While the Nigerian government has made efforts to revitalise PHCs, progress has been slow and many facilities remain understaffed, poorly equipped and lacking in essential resources. This situation has led to increased reliance on secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, which are often overcrowded and struggle to meet the needs of the population.
One of the greatest challenges facing primary healthcare centres in Nigeria is lack of adequate funding. The Federal Government’s annual allocation to healthcare, particularly PHCs, is persistently low and by far, insufficient to aid the sector’s development.
Poor infrastructure is also part of the problem.
Many PHC facilities lack basic amenities like electricity, water and proper sanitation, all of which negatively impact the quality of healthcare delivery.
Also, some communities lack access to functional primary healthcare facilities. Add this to a shortage of trained healthcare, particularly in rural areas, and an unbridled exodus of qualified medical personnel to other countries, as well as lack of essential drugs and equipment, it is clear that Nigeria has an enormous problem on its hands.
However, despite these challenges, the Federal Government has made some efforts to improve primary healthcare. For example, it has initiated programmes to revitalise PHCs, but the progress has been slow and inconsistent.
It also introduced the Adopt-A-Healthcare-Facility Programme, which aims to establish world-class PHCs in each of the 774 local government areas in the country and ensure access to quality healthcare for vulnerable populations.
National Primary Health Care Development Agency was founded to improve access to quality PHC services, enhance immunisation coverage and promote sustainable health initiatives.
While efforts are being made to improve primary healthcare in Nigeria, the government should bear in mind addressing these challenges requires increased investment, improved infrastructure, a strengthened workforce and better access to essential resources and services.
