From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has commenced assessment of state of Primary Health Care (PHC) centres across the country vis-a-vis their functionality and general state. The agency confirmed that PHCs across the country have received huge support, financially and otherwise, over the years but seem to be giving out little in terms of service, hence the need for assessment to ascertain their level of functionality and service compared to the funding received over the years.
Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, told journalists at the inauguration of the independent panel of judges that would carry out the task, in Abuja, on Friday, that the assessment would help the government access “first hand” information regarding the PHCs and the level of services they offer to the public.
He said: “Our plan is to draw more attention to the primary health care services in Nigeria. With the huge investments, financial and otherwise, over the years, we are not seeing commiserate improvement in maternal and child care services, as well as other services that ought to be accessed at PHCs. Nevertheless, there have been some improvements but they are insignificant.