The Yobe State Government has approved the upgrade of the Ngelzarma Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) to a general hospital as part of efforts to improve access to quality healthcare services across the state.

The facility is in Ngelzarma, along the 100-kilometre Damaturu-Potiskum highway. Governor Mai Mala Buni said the upgrade forms part of his administration’s ongoing health sector reforms aimed at expanding access to quality healthcare for residents.

The approval was contained in a statement issued in Damaturu by the Director-General, Press and Media Affairs to the Governor, Mamman Mohammed.
According to the statement, the decision was informed by the growing population of Ngelzarma and neighbouring communities, which has increased the demand for improved healthcare services.

Buni said the upgrade aligns with his administration’s commitment to strengthening the state’s healthcare system. “This is in line with the reforms declared in the health sector by the state government. Healthcare development occupies a prominent position among our priorities,” the governor said.

He assured residents that the government would equip the upgraded hospital with modern medical equipment and the necessary infrastructure to enable it to function effectively as a standard general hospital. The latest approval adds to a series of investments by the Buni administration in the state’s healthcare sector.

The state government had earlier upgraded eight primary healthcare centres in Bara, Buni Gari, Babbangida, Yunusari, Machina, Jajimaji, Nguru and Gulani to general hospitals.

In addition, four general hospitals in Potiskum, Gashua, Geidam and Buni-Yadi were upgraded to specialist hospitals, expanding the state’s capacity to provide advanced medical services.

The government said the upgrade of the Ngelzarma facility is expected to improve access to secondary healthcare services for residents of the community and surrounding areas, while reducing the need for referrals to distant hospitals.