The State of Primary Healthcare Centers in Taraba State, Nigeria

 

By Thomas Samuel

Primary healthcare centers serve as the backbone of essential healthcare services for the masses in Nigeria. Nowhere is this more evident than in Taraba State, a region marked by its diverse population spread across 16 local government areas, many of which encompass rural communities facing significant healthcare delivery challenges.

In recent years, these primary healthcare centers have grappled with a myriad of issues, ranging from poor infrastructure and inadequate staffing to critical shortages of essential drugs and funds. A recent investigation shed light on the dire situation in many local government areas, where primary healthcare centers are failing to meet expectations due to dilapidated structures, lack of resources, and staffing shortages.

Take, for instance, local government areas such as Ardo-Kola, Bali, Donga, and Yorro, where primary healthcare centers struggle to provide comprehensive healthcare services due to the absence of qualified doctors, inadequate pharmacy facilities, and the failure of the state government to renovate and equip these centers with essential medical facilities.

The repercussions of these challenges are dire, with the absence of doctors and essential medical supplies leading to alarming consequences, including a high child mortality rate in Taraba State, which stood at 70 deaths per 1000 live births in 2018. This statistic underscores the urgent need for intervention to address the healthcare challenges faced by communities across the state.

While efforts by the state government, such as deploying community health extension workers and providing practical training for students, have been made, they have fallen short of addressing the root causes of the healthcare crisis. Despite these efforts, primary healthcare centers continue to struggle, resulting in preventable deaths and exacerbating the plight of vulnerable communities.

The challenges facing primary healthcare centers in Taraba State extend beyond the few local government areas mentioned earlier, affecting all 16 local government areas in the state. Issues such as lack of electricity, absence of clean water sources, and critical shortages of functional healthcare facilities further compound the situation, identifying Taraba among states facing a critical shortage of well-equipped healthcare facilities.

Though successive administrations have made efforts to improve the quality of primary healthcare services, sustaining these interventions has proven challenging. For example, while Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku's administration made strides in equipping primary healthcare centers, these efforts waned after the initial intervention period.

The present administration under Governor Kefas Agbu has shown commitment to revitalizing healthcare centers, but significant efforts are required for effective implementation. Adequate funding, manpower, and security are paramount to safeguarding lives and ensuring the effective operation of primary healthcare centers. However, Taraba State grapples with insecurity, with reports of attacks on healthcare centers and workers impeding service delivery.

To address these challenges and improve healthcare service delivery in Taraba State and Nigeria as a whole, there must be a concerted effort to prioritize funding and implement necessary interventions. This includes ensuring adequate manpower, infrastructure, and security measures to safeguard healthcare facilities and personnel. Only through sustained investment and commitment can the goal of providing quality healthcare services to all citizens be achieved.

In conclusion, stakeholders at all levels must prioritize investment in healthcare infrastructure, allocate adequate resources, and implement sustainable solutions to improve access to quality healthcare services in Taraba State. It is imperative for the health and well-being of the populace and the advancement of the state and nation.

Thomas Samuel is an Editor at the Taraba State Broadcasting Service and a Research Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University UK