The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Ifeyinwa Ani-Osheku has said that the state has embarked on building world class primary health centres to reduce maternal and infant mortality rate.
Speaking on the Enugu State’s plan to bring primary health care closer to the people, Ani-Osheku explained that when Governor Peter Mbah assumed office in 2023, he initiated a comprehensive assessment of the healthcare infrastructure, which revealed that over 85percent of the primary healthcare facilities across the state were either dilapidated or in need of major upgrades.
This, she said, was what led to the decision to construct 260 Type-2 Primary Health Centres across the state.
Ani-Osheku said that the construction of the health centres was quickly followed up because of the urgency to ensure that people in rural communities benefit from health programmes and that as of today, all the centres are under construction, and over 100 are already completed.
“Facilities such as those in Emene and Owo and some other places are now operational, and we’ve started recording increased deliveries and patient turnout.”
She said that beyond new buildings, the government is also renovating existing facilities to ensure that no community member walks more than 10 minutes (roughly 5 km) to access primary healthcare. Infrastructure alone she said is not enough.
Governor Mbah has approved the recruitment of 2,200 healthcare workers, of which 900 have already been onboarded and that before the year end they must have completed the full number to be in place.
Each of the facilities, she said, will be equipped with solar energy, solar-powered boreholes, and over 150 essential medicines to ensure holistic care. “Our goal is not just to lead in Southeast Nigeria, but to set a record for excellence in primary healthcare nationwide—and even globally,” she said.
According to her, “This is the first time Enugu State is going beyond the conventional norms of primary healthcare staffing. Traditionally, these centres were managed by Community Health Extension Workers. But we believe our people deserve more, and our tomorrow is here. The primary healthcare agency was asked to engage medical doctors to take charge of the centres.
“We’ve recruited 45 medical doctors, some of whom will be permanently stationed at the facilities, while others will serve as visiting doctors; we’re also hiring pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, and other professionals, though the existing guidelines only require technicians.
“Our goal is to run world-class primary healthcare centres proximity to the people. To ensure that qualified health officers are never lacking in any of the government facilities. Governor Mbah also approved the onboarding of NYSC health corps members, including doctors, pharmacists, lab scientists, nurses, and Radiologists. The state is even providing them with additional allowances beyond NYSC stipends.”
She said that her office was working to educate and create awareness to all the rural dwellers, pregnant and nursing mothers to use more modern facilities at their disposal, saying that it was the reason why they have decided to take the official opening of Child Health Week to facilities in local governments.
“Unlike previous outreach-based approaches, we now carry out these activities within health facilities to familiarise community members with their nearest centres and to build trust between healthcare workers and the people.”
Ani-Osheku also spoke on the importance of Child Health Week, saying that it was a very important national strategy celebrated twice a year in June for Round One and December Round Two, known as the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) Week, where health stakeholders consolidate and intensify all their efforts in primary healthcare delivery.
“It offers us an opportunity to identify and immunise children who have missed their scheduled vaccines. We also conduct malnutrition screening due to rising food insecurity, providing health education to families on how to create balanced diets using locally available foods.
“Furthermore, we administer Vitamin A supplements to enhance children’s eyesight and Albendazole tablets to deworm children age 1 to 5 years. We also give the HPV vaccine to girls age 9 to prevent cervical cancer. So, these are some of the reasons why Child Health is considered as very important to the nation and its citizens. Mbàh, also ensured that all the schools of nursing in the state got their accreditations to train qualified nurses.”
