Bauchi Gov Recommits to Providing Quality, Free Healthcare Services to Pregnant Women, Under-5 Children

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Targeting promotion of family health, reduction of infant morbidity and maternal mortality rates, the Bauchi State Government has expressed unwavering commitment towards continuous provision of free antenatal care, drugs to pregnant women and children U-5 years across the state.

The Commissioner of Information and Communications, Usman Shehu Usman, made the declaration while leading a team of journalists on media tour of ongoing and completed projects of the present administration led by Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed.

The commissioner while leading the team to see the Primary Healthcare Centre, Konkyel, Darazo LGA and Model Primary Healthcare Centre, Dagauda, in Dambam LGA, assured that the government has made drugs, delivery kits and other commodities available for the success of the free medical services.

According to him, government is committed to quality, effective and efficient service delivery in the healthcare sector of the state in order to ensure that patients have unhindered access to services.

He called on the people to feel free to attend any health facilities across the state in order to access healthcare services that are readily available.

The officer in charge of the Primary Healthcare Centre in Konkyel assured that drugs are available at the pharmacy while delivery kits and other essential healthcare services delivery are available.

At the Model Primary Health Care, Dagauda in Dambam Local Government Area, the officer in charge of the facility, Tafida Hussaini, said that free antenatal care and drugs to pregnant woman and children are ongoing as part of effort to address maternal mortality in the state.

Tafida Husasaini said, “there is this programme that the government is doing in which we offer free drugs for antenatal and vaccine among others,” adding the Bauchi State Government has made funds available, with which adequate drugs were purchased and stored for usage in the hospital.

He further stated that, “We have enough water, there is solar power, 24 hours. We don’t even use NEPA, this hospital has capacity, our neighbors from Gamawa LG can testify to this.”

On the issue of securing the facility with the huge money invested, the officer in charge said the facility has been equipped with security both by the LGA and another agency and called for additional staff to ensure effective management of the hospital.

According to him, “We have security that was provided by the African Development Bank, they are 7 in number. This is in addition to the ones provided by the LGA.”

Tafida Hssaini said before the renovation and the upgrade, the hospital had 30 bed capacity but the upgrading brought up the number to forty-nine, adding that there is lack of adequate manpower.

He also said, “additional manpower is needed to take care of the increasing level of patronage.”

He said that following its upgrade and expansion, the model primary health center has become a hub for access to affordable and quality healthcare services to not only the people of Dagauda, but people of Gamawa, Nengere, Fika, among other places.

According to him, “You can even see for yourself, the hospital is filled with patients. We appreciate the local government chairmen who provided additional place for us behind the main building in order to accommodate more patients.”