Nasarawa to upgrade health centres in rural communities

Nasasara state government will upgrade Primary Health Care Centres in rural communities across the state to fight malaria and other healthcare challenges in the state.

Mr Silas Agara, the state deputy governor, made the statement on Friday in Lafia when he received a delegation from the United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID).

Agara, who received the delegation on behalf of Gov. Tanko Al-makura, expressed government’s readiness to partner the agency to provide quality and affordable healthcare services for the people.

He said that malaria accounted for the high rate of infant mortality recorded in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria.

He said that this informed the reason why the state government had been investing huge resources in the health sector, especially on malaria control and other tropical diseases.

“The state government is committed to giving the fight against malaria a boost; government is set to upgrade primary health care facilities in rural areas across the state”, he said.

Agara commended USAID for its intervention in the health sector in the state, especially through the provision of treated mosquito nets.

He solicited for more help from foreign donor agencies to update data for healthcare personnel in the state and the provision of necessary advocacy to equip them for effective performance.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dr Uwen Nyang, expressed the agency’s commitment to partner the state in malaria control.

“Nasarawa State remains very strategic to the agency in the malaria control effort; hence, the willingness of the agency to sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the government to end the scourge in the state.

“We know that the state is strategic because of its proximity to FCT; the state accommodates most civil servants working in Abuja.

“We will partner the state to ensure people get quality and affordable healthcare services,” Nyang said.