Our correspondent visited Gama Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) located in Gama Ward in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, one of the over 300 revitalised PHCs in the state under the 2023 FG/NPHCDA programme, and reports on how the revitalisation project transformed service delivery as well as other challenges faced at the Gama PHC. Entrance to Gama Primary Healthcare Centre, Nasarawa LGA, Kano State When Hafsat Sani (not real name) was brought to Gama Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in her last stage of labour to deliver her baby, she met two other women in the labour room, as such she has to wait before she could get entry into the delivery room. Therefore, Hafsat was asked to wait at the labour room’s reception because at the Gama PHC, women in labour must queue to use the facility’s sole delivery bed. As such, whenever multiple expectant mothers arrive at the PHC for delivery at the same time, they have to join a queue before they can get access to the labour room and deliver their babies. A midwife working at the Gama PHC told Daily Trust that, “In the event of multiple birth deliveries, we have to rush and wash the bed to attend to the next woman in the queue. “There is only one bed in the labour room, so in the event of multiple deliveries in the labour room, we have to improvise, whereby an observation bed is used to receive the delivery. And at least seven women delivered in the facility daily.” After waiting for over an hour, the midwives rushed to wash the delivery bed to attend to Hafsat who was next on the queue. One of the ward at the Gama PHC Gama Gabas PHC, located in Gama Ward in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, was among the over 300 PHCs in Kano State that were revitalised under the programme spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). The upgrades focus on infrastructure, equipping health workers, and securing a reliable power and water supply. It was gathered that the revitalisation has brought changes in the electricity and water supply, and staff productivity. A development that increased patients’ influx to the facility for healthcare services. As such, when Mariya Umar’s son complained of a stomach ache, she brought him to the facility, and the health workers attended to him within a short time and prescribed drugs for him. However, Daily Trust learnt that despite the revitalisation, Gama PHCs still battle a dearth of skilled health workers and basic equipment to function optimally and serve the large population surrounding the facility. It was gathered that the health facility is one of the three major PHCs in Gama ward that are providing health services to about 30,000 people. The only Delivery Bed at the Gama PHC Maternity Ward Our correspondent reports that despite the large number of people it serves, there is not a single medical doctor in the facility. The facility relies on nurses, midwives, CHEWs and other health technicians. Deputy In-Charge of the PHC, Malam Danladi Muhammad, told Daily Trust that the facility was renovated about two years ago. Malam Danladi Muhammad, Deputy In-charge of the Gama PHC But according to him, even before the renovation, it was in relatively good condition. “It was constructed in 2015 by a lawmaker representing the area. So, it was relatively in good condition before the renovation. Basically, there is not much difference between before and after the renovation. No new building was added in the facility; the contractor just applied new paint, some floor work in some areas, and replaced the roofing in the maternity and ANC wards with an aluminium roof. He also changed some doors and locks,” he said. Malam Muhammad stated that the 40-bed PHC provides 24-hour services in the areas of Antenatal Care, Delivery, Pharmacy services, Routine Immunisation (RI), Family Planning (FP), Accident and Emergency, Laboratory service, Out-Patient Department (OPD) and the Kano State Contributory Health Care Management Agency (KSCHMA) under the BHCPF. However, he said despite running a 24-hour service, the PHC lacks some basic facilities that function optimally. For instance, there is a blood bank; however, the health workers can only screen, and the patients have to find a donor. “The scanning machine and some of the equipment are not working. Sometimes patients have to visit private laboratories before they can get a test or scanning, which are often very expensive. “Also, the solar system is not covering the whole hospital, thereby resorting to rationalising the gadgets to avoid breakdown of the solar system. But there is adequate water supply, with a dedicated borehole,” he said. Malam Muhammad also lamented that only 24 staff work in the facility as permanent staff. But over 100 others work as temporary staff, receiving a meagre monthly allowance which hardly covers their transport fare. He added that the PHC needs at least 30 more staff to wo
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