Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has approved N1 billion for the purchase of essential medical equipment aimed at boosting primary healthcare delivery in the state.
Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Usman Iskilu-Saleh, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lafia while briefing newsmen.
He said the move was part of ongoing efforts to ensure at least one functional primary healthcare centre in each of the 147 wards of the state by 2027.
According to him, 58 facilities earlier revitalised under the World Bank programme have been completed, while nine are being handled directly by the state government. He added that six are supported by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and another nine are being funded by UNICEF.
Iskilu-Saleh revealed that the government has also bridged staffing gaps through the recruitment of 1,586 health workers in 2023 and another 681 this year, bringing the total to 2,237 new health workers already deployed across facilities.
“These new staff include nurses, midwives, community health extension workers, pharmacy technicians, laboratory staff, and doctors,” he stated.
He listed some of the medical equipment to be procured as blood pressure machines, glucometers, thermometers, weighing scales, ultrasound scanners, centrifuges, microscopes, and essential drugs.
The executive secretary noted that the interventions had boosted patient patronage in primary healthcare facilities and positioned Nasarawa as a model for other states.
He commended Governor Sule for prioritising healthcare delivery and assured that the agency would sustain accountability and community engagement to ensure quality service delivery.
