NEWS
Governor Bago performs groundbreaking of 100 primary healthcare centres
By Suleiman Yakubu
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has performed the groundbreaking for the construction of 100 primary healthcare centres across the state.
The governor performed the function at the Sen. Idris Kuta Primary Healthcare Centre, Minna.
He explained that the contribution of PHCs is in line with his New Niger Agenda, which he said would reduce the hardship of the common man while seeking healthcare services.
The governor said the health centres would be completed in two years and further revealed that 20 out of the 100 would be completed in the next 10 weeks to demonstrate his commitment to the wellbeing of the citizenry.
He said staff quarters and ambulances would be provided as he announced a N200 million counterpart fund to provide social security and health insurance for 30,000 Nigerlites. He said the PHCs would be provided with solar power sources and directed the Niger State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) to work closely with relevant ministries to ensure the project is well executed.
He also announced a N150,000 scholarship for Nigerlites studying medicine, while those in law, engineering, and sciences will have N100,000. Social sciences and other courses will get N50,000.
Bago enjoined the people to continue to be patient and show understanding with both the federal and state governments as good things are coming.
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The Commissioner for Primary Health Care Development, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, disclosed in his remarks that the level 2 primary health care centres, which will have labour rooms and wards for women, men, and children, would also be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, ambulances, and staff quarters to ensure effective service delivery.
Dr. Dangana also revealed that the facilities will serve not less than 10,000 people within catchment areas, pointing out that the efforts of the farmer governor would surely leave his prints in the record books.
The commissioner also read out commendation messages from the Minister of Health and Social Welfare and that of the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, on the giant stride of the governor, Umaru Bago, and pledged to emulate him at the federal level.
Earlier, the General Manager, Niger State (CSDA), Hajiya Aisha Abdulkadir, said the project will complement the New Niger Agenda of the present administration and will allow for rural transformation in the state.
While commending the administration for the project, she disclosed that other interventions will take place in communities across the state.