How Gov Sani revamped Kaduna’s health sector - Commissioner

The Kaduna State Commissioner of Health, Umma Ahmad has commended Governor Uba Sani for revamping the health sector of the state through infrastructural development, facilities upgrade and equipping of primary as well as secondary health care facilities in the last 22 months.

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The commissioner outlined the achievements of the Uba Sani administration in the health sector at a ministerial press briefing which was held at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna

. She said that the governor’s interventions have been producing positive outcomes.

According to her, Kaduna State achieved 100% coverage of public health facilities in the distribution of medicines last year, a feat that was confirmed by the Federal Ministry of Health.

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‘’Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency has received 10 prestigious awards, including the coveted award for Excellence In Supply Chain, which was presented by the International Supply Chain Education Alliance,’’ Mrs Ahmad disclosed.

She further stated that the National Product Supply Chain (NPSC) had ranked Kaduna State as one of the first sub nationals ‘’to reach the Maturing Ready To Integrate Level for public health supply chains for essential medicines, demonstrating its preparedness for an efficient State Health Supply Systems (SHSS).’’

Mrs Ahmad said that Kaduna State won the Leadership Challenge award for the North West zone in 2024, a feat which she attributed to Governor Uba Sani’s positive interventions in the health sector.

She announced that the 255 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Kaduna State were being upgraded to Level two ‘’for basic emergency obstetrics and neonatal care to curtail maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity.’’

‘’Thirteen secondary health care facilities out of the 33 General Hospitals are being rehabilitated and equipped. Contract has been awarded for the reconstruction, remodelling and equipping of additional health facilities at the Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital, Tudun Wada,’’ she added.

According to the commissioner, the Sani administration has ‘’renovated and equipped the warehouse of Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency (KADHSMA) to a pharma-grade standard, which has 1,600 sqm with storage capacity of 8,000 cubic metres of pharmaceutical products, with a well equipped quality control laboratory.’’

She further stated that Kaduna State Government has ‘’procured and distributed over 975 stock keeping units (SKUs) for public health facilities in the State, distributed state-of-the-art equipment to 290 PHC centres to aid diagnostic and therapeutic services.’’

Mrs Ahmad disclosed that Governor Sani had ‘’flagged-off the distribution of free, essential medicines to all local government councils, targeting the under-served communities, with a view to expanding access to commodities and health care.’’

The commissioner declared that the state’s 300-bed Specialist Hospital has the capacity to provide specialised care nationwide as well as the potential of stemming medical tourism when completed.

She affirmed that the hospital would soon be commissioned because all civil works have already been fully completed while 85% of the equipment have been installed.

The commissioner praised Governor Sani for ensuring improved health financing stressing that his administration ‘’increased enrollment rate for health insurance from 527,303 in 2023 to 639,432 in 2024, equivalent to a 21.3% increase.

‘’Furthermore, the governor approved the enrolment of 70,000 vulnerable population into the Social Health insurance scheme under the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA).

‘’In addition, he released N52,000,000 as 25% counterpart contribution for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) programme for the enrolment of additional 4,333 vulnerable persons,’’ she disclosed.

According to Mrs Ahmad, Kaduna State Government has ‘’sustained the allocation of not less than 15% of the state financing to the health sector as prescribed by the Abuja declaration, a feat that is yet to be surpassed at the federal level.’’

The commissioner further disclosed that Governor Sani has approved the recruitment of 1, 800 health workers yearly across all the PHCs in the state, for the next four years.