Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Umma Ahmad, has disclosed that about 255 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state are being upgraded to level-two health institutions for basic emergency obstetrics and neonatal care to prevent maternity and neonatal mortality and morbidity. She also explained that 13 secondary healthcare facilities among the state’s 33 general hospitals are being rehabilitated and equipped.

The commissioner, who spoke during a ministerial press briefing in Kaduna, pointed out that the efforts of the Uba Sani-led government in revamping the health sector were already yielding positive results in the state.

She added that the governor has renovated and equipped the warehouse of Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency (KADHSMA) to a pharma-grade standard of 1,600 sqm with storage capacity of 8,000 cubic metres of pharmaceutical products, with a well equipped quality control laboratory.

She further said that Kaduna State government has procured and distributed over 975 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) to public health facilities in the state, including distributing state-of-the-art equipment to 290 PHCs to aid diagnostic and therapeutic services.

Similarly, the commissioner recalled that Sani had flagged-off the distribution of free, essential medicines to all local councils, targeting the under-served communities with a view to expanding access to commodities and health care.

The commissioner commended the governor for improved health financing which has helped to boost the enrolment rate of the state health insurance from 527,303 in 2023 to 639,432 in 2024, equivalent to a 21.3 per cent increase.

She also disclosed that the governor approved the enrolment of 70,000 vulnerable people into the state Social Health insurance Scheme under the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA).