Niger to build 70 PHC is year – Gov Sani Bello

Niger State government is to build 70 new Primary Healthcare Centres this fiscal year under it’s Primary Healthcare Under one Roof (PHCUOR) programme, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has disclosed.

These centres form the first phase of the 274 of such centres to offer 24 hours comprehensive medical service in each of the wards in the state.

Governor Sani Bello disclosed this while commissioning one of the four MTN Foundation Maternal Ward Support Projects in the state at General Hospital, Lapai, headquarters of Lapai Local Government area of the state.

“In the next one year, at least 70 PHCOUR service facilities would be rolled out across Niger State through massive renovation, equipping and manpower improvement,” the governor disclosed.

He said the neglect of the Primary Healthcare over the years informed the resolve of his administration to give priority attention to this level of healthcare delivery with a view to reducing significantly maternal and childhood mortality in the state.

The governor further said that in order to meet the need of qualitative primary healthcare delivery in the state, his administration recently carried out free eye surgeries to 500 people and general surgeries for 2500 people in all the 25 local government areas of the state.

He said his administration was committed to providing qualitative, comprehensive and affordable healthcare, hence the holistic attention given to the manpower and welfare need of the sector as well as the massive infrastructural improvement of various hospitals in the state.

The governor however said that government’s efforts at transforming the healthcare sector would require private sector and public spirited individual partnership.

He maintained that his administration will continue to  explore partnership with local and foreign medical service providers as well as other stakeholders for the delivery of qualitative healthcare service in the state.

Commending MTN Foundation, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mustapha Jibril said his ministry and the donor have engaged in mutually beneficial partnership in the last three years.

The Commissioner said that General Hospitals in Lapai, New Bussa, Mokwa and Suleja are benefiting from the Maternal Ward Support Project in the state.

Earlier, the chairman of MTN Foundation, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi said their initiative which is spread across six states with each from the geo-political zones of the country was a step to address and reduce infant and maternal mortality in the country.

Represented by Alhaji Muhammadu Liman, a director in the foundation, the chairman reiterated the resolve of the foundation to partner with government and other well-meaning individuals to contribute positively to the development of the state.

End.

Jibrin Baba Ndace

Chief Press Secretary