Commends UNICEF, other development partners for support

The Kwara State Government has flagged off renovation works on five additional Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in the state with a view to improving access to quality and affordable healthcare services.

Held between Monday (April 22nd and Tuesday (April 23rd), the flag-off ceremony took the form of handing over project sites to various contractors at different locations for immediate actions.

The affected facilities are Bode PHC (Baruten); Obbo Aiyegunle PHC (Ekiti); prototype Fufu PHC (Ilorin South); Ojagboro PHC (Ilorin East) and Balogun Afin PHC in Ilorin South local government area.

The project is being funded with the N231,710,000 Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge award of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), which Kwara State won last year, according to the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Nusirat Elelu, who performed a symbolic site handover in Ilorin.

The Healthcare Leadership Challenge is funded by the UNICEF.

Dr. Elelu said work would commence immediately on the five health facilities following the conclusion of the procurement process.

“Today, we are here for the site handover at the conclusion of the procurement process for qualified vendors that are going to take possession and renovation of these (five) primary healthcare centers,” she said after handing over the Prototype Fufu Primary Healthcare Center, in Ilorin South LG, to the contractor.

“It is an amazing intervention and a huge win for the state government bringing healthcare services closer to the people at the grassroots. This is in line with the vision of His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

“This government has renovated over twenty-five PHCs in the last few years, and this year alone, we have six that are ongoing. We have the one in Alapa (Asa LG), and in Ojagboro, among others. And one of the advantages from this renovation is that it is going to bridge the infrastructural gap.

“It is a huge win for the government bringing healthcare services closer to the people at the grassroots. We have over ten communities within Fufu, and this is evident from the large turnout of people who came out to receive this team. This is an intervention that will have a great benefit for the people of the State”.

She said the project is categorized into two phases, while the first phase of it is expected to be delivered within six weeks. She also said a project team from the Ministry of Health and the agency will be jointly embarking on a periodic monitoring of the projects to ensure quality service delivery.

The Executive Secretary charged all the benefiting communities to take ownership and ensure that they put those facilities into good use to achieve the set objectives.

“What we are doing here today further demonstrates the seriousness the government attaches to public health. As we hand over this facility to a contractor, we expect this community, headed by our father, Balogun Afin, to please take its ownership during the renovation and after completion. We want you to ensure a good utilization of the project so that you don't defeat the objectives set by the government and UNICEF,” Dr Elelu said at Balogun Afin PHC in Ilorin.

She commended UNICEF and other development partners for always identifying with the state government to develop infrastructure and create comfort in many key sectors of the state.

She was accompanied on the visits by UNICEF's representatives for Kaduna Field Office, Dr Hadiza Aliyu Iyal; Pharmacist Adebayo Bolaji; and some principal officers of the agency.

The TIC Chairman for Ilorin South LG, Hon Zubair Sulu-gambari, appreciated the state government for finding two PHCs under Ilorin South LG worthy for intervention during his tenure of office.

He encouraged the communities to reciprocate the kind gesture by protecting the facilities, which he noted will largely serve their interest .

Balogun Afin of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammad Nuhu Yusuf, and Baale of Fufu, Alhaji Issa Zubair, in their separate remarks, expressed the gratitude of their communities to the government for the projects, noting this further attests to the priority the administration accords to their welfare.

Balogun Afin, who spoke through Alhaji Popoola Abdulkadir, said the construction of their health center began during the tenure of late Governor Muhammad Lawal but had been abandoned by the successive governments, commending the readiness of the present administration to complete it.

Mr Raji Taofeek, Project Manager, FESOL Concept Nig Ltd, who spoke on behalf of the company, assured the government and people of Fufu community of delivering quality jobs within the timeframe of six weeks.