The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has vowed to investigate the alleged disappearance of 13,350 diapers meant for antenatal care at a Primary Health Centre in Sambawa community, Kebbi.

The commission announced it would probe the alleged misconduct and hold those responsible accountable.

ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu made the announcement at a one-day conference organized by the ICPC in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference, titled “Engendering Corruption-Free Primary Health Care Delivery For All,” was aimed at addressing issues in the health sector.

“Recently, the Sambawa community in Kebbi State sent a petition to us regarding missing antenatal care items for pregnant women and newborn babies donated to a healthcare facility,” Adamu said.

“Our preliminary investigation indicated that 13,350 diapers allocated to Sambawa Primary Healthcare Centre are missing, while the Kebbi State Primary Healthcare Agency’s investigation puts the number at 3,466.”

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He noted that although two staff members of the Sambawa Primary Healthcare Centre, a male and a female, have been implicated, the commission aims to uncover the full extent of the criminal conduct and ensure the culprits are brought to justice.

Adamu added that there is growing interest from communities and civil society organizations in combating corruption within the health sector. He emphasized that the ICPC is implementing measures to ensure corruption-free primary healthcare delivery across the country.

He explained that the conference is part of efforts to garner public support and combat corruption in the health sector.

“This is necessary given the sector’s critical role in ensuring a healthy society,” he said. “The Commission’s choice of Primary Health Care in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the pilot for this nationwide discussion aims to create a model that can be replicated across all six geopolitical zones.”

He also mentioned that the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to be signed at the conference would facilitate the exchange of anti-corruption ideas and the use of resources to address issues hindering a corruption-free healthcare system in Nigeria.

The Minister of Health, Muhammed Ali Pate, highlighted the multifaceted challenges facing the nation’s PHCs, including corruption, which needs urgent attention.

“Corruption in the health sector is intertwined with issues in other sectors,” Pate said. “Nigeria has a prosperous future, but prosperity will only come if citizens act collectively and correctly.”

He described corruption as a systemic and multi-institutional challenge that needs to be addressed comprehensively.

Dr. Chris Isiguzo, National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), emphasized that Primary Health Care is the foundation of any nation’s health system.

“It is the first point of contact for individuals, families, and communities, playing a critical role in disease prevention, health promotion, and ensuring the well-being of our citizens,” Isiguzo said. “Corruption in primary health care undermines this vital sector, diverts essential resources, erodes trust, and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable.”

He affirmed that the union remains committed to fighting corruption across the nation.

The conference was attended by representatives from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), and the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).