The Adamawa State Government has unveiled plans to rehabilitate about 145 primary healthcare centres across the state as part of efforts to improve access to basic healthcare services.

The Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ADPHCDA), Dr. Sulaiman Saidu Bashir, disclosed this while speaking with journalists after a media visit to the Nasarawo Demsa Primary Healthcare Centre in Demsa Local Government Area.

During the visit, community stakeholders called on the state government to urgently upgrade the facility, noting that it serves a large and growing population in the area.

Responding to the concerns, Bashir described the facility as one of the state’s high-performing primary healthcare centres, stressing its strategic importance in delivering essential health services.

He explained that the agency had already identified the centre as one of the facilities requiring intervention under the state’s ongoing healthcare revitalisation programme.

According to him, the centre caters to a densely populated community with high fertility rates, making it particularly vital for maternal and child healthcare services.

Bashir noted that the state’s healthcare revitalisation programme focuses on five major components: perimeter fencing, improvement of infrastructure, construction of staff quarters, provision of 24-hour solar-powered electricity, and uninterrupted water supply.

He, however, explained that plans to include Nasarawo Demsa in the first phase of the intervention encountered challenges due to the absence of available land for expansion.

“The facility is located in a densely populated area, which makes expansion difficult, particularly for additional structures like staff housing. We are, however, engaging community leaders to find a workable solution,” he said.

Despite the setback, Bashir assured that the centre would still benefit from government intervention as the programme progresses.

“We are optimistic that the facility will receive attention this year alongside other centres across the state,” he added.

The ADPHCDA chairman further revealed that the state government has already invested heavily in strengthening primary healthcare services, including the construction of over 100 new clinics and the rehabilitation of about 127 existing facilities.

He said the agency had mapped out healthcare centres across the state and carefully costed the required interventions to ensure effective implementation.

“Our approach is phased. We have identified facilities that need attention and we are addressing them systematically,” Bashir said.

He added that the current phase of the programme targets the rehabilitation of 145 primary healthcare centres statewide.

Bashir said the initiative reflects the directive of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to ensure that all communities have access to quality healthcare services.

According to him, improvements in infrastructure, staffing and medical supplies have already led to increased utilisation of healthcare services in many centres across the state.