Governor Mohammed Bago has inaugurated 20 newly constructed Level 2 primary healthcare centres in the 16 local government areas of Niger State.
Mr Bago said the facilities constituted the first phase of a broader plan to build 100 such facilities under the NG-CARES programme through the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA).
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While commissioning the centres in Minna, the governor said his administration was committed to transforming healthcare access across the state.
He said 40 more centres would be constructed in the coming months, and assured of the sustainability of the project because sufficient funds are available in the Healthcare Development Fund.
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“These centres are part of the strategic efforts to enhance healthcare at the grassroots level. Any facility that maintains high standards in service delivery and infrastructure upkeep will receive a monthly reward of N5 million,” the governor announced.
To honour outstanding individuals, Governor Bago also revealed that three of the centres will bear commemorative names: the Maitumbi facility after the late Hajiya Zainab Yakubu Garba, the one at Peter Sarki Road after the late Peter Sarki, and the Anguwan Daji facility after his wife, Hajiya Fatima Umaru Bago.
The Executive Director/CEO of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Muyi Aina, described the centres as exemplary models of Level 2 Primary Healthcare in the country.
Similarly, the Deputy National Coordinator of NG-CARES, Abubakar Musa, announced plans to adopt the model in NG-CARES 2.0 due to its distinctiveness.
The state Commissioner for Budget and Planning and Chairman of the NG-CARES Steering Committee, Mustapha Ndajiwo, said the project aligns with the state’s agenda of providing equitable access to quality healthcare.
He applauded Governor Bago for ensuring that development reaches the community level, which has elevated Niger State’s national standing in NG-CARES performance metrics.
CSDA General Manager A’isha Abdulkadir lauded the collaborative spirit that drove the project’s success and praised the governor’s leadership.
She also noted that the family of the late Senator Idris Kuta, after whom one of the centres is named, pledged to sponsor 100 community members under the NiCARE health insurance scheme.
In their separate remarks, commissioners Phalalu Bako (Rural and Community Development) and Ibrahim Dangana (Primary Healthcare) commended Governor Bago’s unwavering focus on quality healthcare.
They called on communities and stakeholders to safeguard the facilities and ensure their longevity.
