Nasarawa Government pledges to upgrade rural primary health centres

Nasarawa State Government says it will upgrade primary health care facilities in rural communities across the state in its bid to fight malaria and other healthcare challenges.

The Governor of the state, Alhaji Tanko Almakura, made the promise while playing host to a team from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in his office in Lafia on Friday.

The governor was represented by his Deputy, Mr Silas Agara.

Almakura further expressed his administration’s commitment to partner the agency to provide quality and affordable health care services for the residents of the state.

He said: “Malaria has accounted for the high infant mortality rate in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, and that is why the government is investing huge resources in its health sector.

“We are particularly concerned about the control of malaria and other tropical diseases affecting the health of the people.

“The state government is committed to give the fight against malaria a boost.

“Therefore, we will upgrade primary health care facilities in rural areas across the state because their dilapidation has been responsible for deaths in the past,’’ the governor said.

He commended USAID for its intervention so far in the health sector of the state, especially through the provision of insecticide treated mosquito nets.

He solicited for more assistance from foreign donor agencies to update the state’s health personnel data and provide necessary advocacy to equip the personnel for effective performance.

Earlier, the leader of the USAID delegation, Dr Uwen Nyang, said the agency was committed to partnering the state government on malaria control.

Nyang said: “Nasarawa State remains very strategic to the agency in the malaria control effort.

It is, therefore, the willingness of the agency to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the state government to end the scourge.

“We know that the state is strategic because of its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Many civil servants from Abuja are accommodated here, so we will partner with the state to ensure that people get quality and affordable health care services.’’