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Tag: Primary health care

  • Missing piece in primary health care structure

    Missing piece in primary health care structure

    Sir: I recently had the privilege of attending the Africa Primary Healthcare Forum Conference 2025, a prestigious gathering of minds, stakeholders, policymakers, technocrats, and visionaries convened to dissect and diagnose the many ailments plaguing primary healthcare (PHC) across Africa, especially Nigeria. From the panels to breakout sessions, the discussions were fiery, engaging, and thoroughly necessary.

    Topics ranged from the tired over-reliance on curative health systems to a renewed focus on prevention. People talked big on digital health innovation, sustainable financing, away from donor-reliance health financing, better public-private partnership frameworks, and the urgent need for government prioritization. It was a medley of necessary ideas floating in urgency, as it should be.

    Yet, something was off. Something critical was missing from the table, from the speeches, from the slides. No one mentioned it. Not even once. Where, in all the conversations about saving PHC, was traditional and complementary medicine?

    Complete erasure. And that is dangerous.

    Whether policymakers like to admit it or not, traditional medicine is not just a sidebar in African healthcare, it is, for many, the first and only form of healthcare they know. For decades, and still to this day, traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) has been the anchor often the only accessible, trusted, and affordable system of care for millions, especially at the grassroots. In fact, WHO data boldly states that nearly 80% of people in Africa rely on traditional medicine in one form or another. That’s not a statistic. That’s a screaming reality.

    And yet, at a high-level summit on PHC in Africa, it was treated as invisible.

    Why? Is it the elite delusion that healthcare must be boxed strictly within biomedical confines to be legitimate?

    Whatever the reason, that silence reveals something tragic: we are trying to fix the house by ignoring the foundation.

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    To be blunt: any attempt to “fix” PHC in Africa without giving a front-row seat to traditional medicine is a performance. It is incomplete. It is misaligned with reality. It is tone-deaf to culture.

    Primary healthcare is not a hospital-centric concept. It is not a digital app. It is not a modern building with drugs and machines. It is first and foremost a philosophy, healthcare that begins with the people. It is decentralised, embedded in the community, rooted in culture, and closer to the home than to the clinic. And there is nothing closer to the home physically, socially, and culturally than traditional medicine.

    So why are we treating it like it’s a relic?

    What we need is not another dusty “Traditional Medicine Department” sitting idle in the ministry office. Not another limp paragraph in a policy document no one reads. What we need is real, strategic integration, bold, systemic inclusion of traditional and complementary medicine into the national PHC framework.

    This is common sense.

    Traditional healers are already doing the work without the recognition, without the training, without the regulatory framework. They are already where formal systems cannot reach. In remote villages, urban slums, even suburban corners. They are treating, advising, consoling, and sometimes even preventing illnesses all with cultural fluency and deep trust.

    Imagine if they were trained. Imagine if there was a framework to equip them, link them with formal PHC centres, include them in health education initiatives, and embed them in the referral ecosystem. Imagine if our systems stopped seeing them as a threat and started seeing them as the assets they already are.

    Because here’s the truth: You can’t reach the people without going through the gatekeepers they already trust. And trust is not something digital tools or biomedical superiority can automatically buy. Trust is cultural. It is emotional. It is generational. Traditional medicine carries that trust. And no matter how sophisticated our health architecture is, if people don’t trust it, they will not use it.

    We can digitise all we want. We can build more PHC centres, fund PPPs, and launch one policy after another. But if we don’t build a bridge between formal healthcare and the informal systems people already use, we are widening the gap we claim to want to close.

    We must stop treating traditional medicine like an embarrassing uncle at a wedding. It’s not a side act. It’s a central actor, one that can help us rewrite the PHC narrative from the inside out.

    Because until traditional medicine is recognised, regulated, and reintegrated with full legitimacy, our vision for strong, community-driven primary healthcare in Africa will remain a castle in the air.

    •Oladoja M.O, Abuja

  • Polio Immunization: Kano takes campaign to IDPs camp

    Kano State Government has extended its Immunization Plus Days IPDs against polio virus to Internally Displaced Persons IDPs Camp in the State to prevent the spread of the virus over the influx of IDPs from Boko Haram ravaged states.

    During the just concluded July round of the polio IPDs, Kano health workers stormed the IDPs camp in Hotoro and immunized hundreds of under five children for five consecutive days.

    The rationale behind the exercise was aimed at sustaining the unrelenting efforts of the state Government in its 38 months record of uninterrupted polio free status.

    Commenting on the development, the Primary Health Care Coordinator of Tarauni Local Government Council, Comrade Nura Haruna Rimigado, said the rationale behind the IDPs immunization was hinged on the influx of IDPs to the City.

    Rimigado described the move as a proactive measure to prevent any avoidable importation of the virus from the neibouring states, especially Borno State where the last polio case was discovered in Nigeria.

    He added that no fewer than 200 elegible IDPs children were immunized daily in the camp for five days, promising to maintain the gesture in the next round of the exercise.

    Besides the IDPs immunization, the Primary Health Care Coordinator also confirmed that the IPDs exercise was also extended to Markets and Motorparks in the area so as to ensuring that no child was left unimmunized during the period.

    He noted that the exercise recorded a huge success in the area as evident in the Council’s record surpassing the 72,760 targeted children for the immunization, saying the number of noncompliance were drastically reduced and those noncompliance cases identified were adequately resolved before the end of the five days exercise.

    He commended all stakeholders including religious and tradition leaders for their unrelenting efforts towards eradicating polio in Nigeria, urging them to sustain the tempo in order to achieve the desired goal.

  • Ahmed flags off Measles Vaccination

    Ahmed flags off Measles Vaccination

    Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed, on Tuesday in Ilorin, flagged off Measles Vaccination Campaign, calling on parents and caregivers in the State to make their children available for the immunisation.

    According to the governor, on no account should parents deprive their children a secure future and a healthy life on the basis of cultural and religious beliefs.

    Dr Ahmed explained that the state government had put in place strategies to reduce the burden of measles and placed a high premium on Primary Health Care and Routine Immunisation.

    “The government has supported Primary Health Care activities by paying the counterpart fund for this Measles Vaccination Campaign and the biannual Maternal, New-born Child Health (MNCH) Week which is aimed at delivering high impact interventions to mothers and children”, the governor said.

    Governor Ahmed assured Kwarans that the forthcoming State Health Insurance Scheme would also ensure that quality and affordable health care services, including immunization, are accessible to all citizens of the State regardless of their economic status.

    Meanwhile, the World Health Organization, WHO, coordinator in the state, Pharmacist Mustapha Katibi has commended the state government for retaining its polio free status since 2009.

    In his goodwill message at the Measles Vaccination Campaign, Pharmacist Katibi said the WHO is pleased with Kwara State Government in its activities to ensure that the people of Kwara State attain highest standard of health.

    Katibi explained that his office had collaborated with the state in a number of campaigns, including the just concluded Yellow Fever Preventive Vaccination in which Kwara scored over 90% in Post Coverage Survey Report released last week.

    The WHO Coordinator also disclosed that Measles remains a burden in Nigeria as a result of high level of unvaccinated children.

    “Nigeria, being a signatory to the Measles elimination by the year 2020 is organising Measles campaigns from October, last year to March this year”.

     

  • WHO lauds Ugwuanyi on primary health care

    WHO lauds Ugwuanyi on primary health care

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has congratulated Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the success of the Primary Health care system in the state.

    The organisation’s representative in charge of measles prevention, Mrs. Eunice Ajayi, who spoke at the kick-off of the rescheduled second round of the 2017 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW), was happy at Ugwuanyi’s commitment to quality healthcare delivery.

    She noted that the governor has been supportive in terms of counterpart funding.

    Her words: “From what I have seen so far, Enugu State is set to take the first position in the implementation of this campaign because all hands are on deck”.

    Mrs. Ajayi, who reiterated the agency’s commitment towards strengthening maternal and child healthcare delivery in Enugu, said she was in the state to “support and supervise the upcoming measles campaign” scheduled for March.

    She reaffirmed the determination of WHO to ensure that programmes are implemented according to international standard for the interest of beneficiaries.

    Ugwuanyi explained that the introduction of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health programme was prompted by the need to address the unacceptably high maternal, newborn and child mortality rates in Nigeria, and to explore the most effective ways to control it.

     

     

     

  • Ogun urges participation in health care delivery

    The Ogun State government has urged members of various communities in the state to revive Ward Health Development Committees (WDCs) in their localities to improve primary health care service delivery.

    The Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Dr. Nofiu Aigoro, made the call in Abeokuta, the state capital, at a Policy Dialogue Workshop organised by the State Primary Health Care Development Board in collaboration with KIT Royal Tropical Institute, Netherland.

    Dr. Aigoro said this has become necessary as a result of recently-conducted researches in Remo North East Local Council Development Area (LCDA) on the need to increase immunisation exercise in the area.

    He noted that based on the research findings, active participation of members of the community is needed to ensure optimal primary health care service delivery, adding that their participation would assist in the implementation of government policies and programmes in the health sector.

    “This research has shown us that with community participation, there is improvement in health care service delivery which also translated to general health awareness among members of the community,’’ he said.

    Earlier in his address, the Acting Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, said the research work was embarked upon to find out the reason for the high number of unimmunised children at the end of 2014 immunisation in the Ilara and Ipara wards of the Remo North East LCDA.

    He opined that findings from the research had shown that better result could be achieved when members of the community worked together with government agencies, even as he called on the people to support health officers posted to their domains.

    Presenting the research findings, the leading investigator, KIT Royal Tropical Institute, Dr. Ngozi Akwataghibe, said the research had shown the importance of involving members of the communities in the execution of government policies and programmes, noting that there was a drastic improvement in the level of people’s awareness of their health needs.

    In his remarks, the Chairman, Remo North LCDA, Mr Segun Idowu, pledged the council’s readiness to continue its support to the state government in its commitment to provide quality health services for the people.

  • Why Buhari wants to make primary health care functional, by minister

    Why Buhari wants to make primary health care functional, by minister

    IF there is one thing that President Muhammadu Buhari will want to be remembered for, long after he might have left office, it is making healthcare services qualitative and affordable to the citizenry.

    Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole said this at the Second Annual Primary Health Care Service Lecture in Abuja.

     The topic of the lecture was: “Creating Sustainable Primary Healthcare Financing”.

    But for this to be achieved, stakeholders in the sector have called on the Federal Government to improve on the Primary Health Care (PHC) to make it more effective.

    Adewole, who was represented by the Director of Public Health, Dr. Evelyn Ngige, said the administration would want to be remembered for putting in place a functional PHC.

    He said: “The administration of his Excellency would love to be remembered for making basic healthcare services qualitative, accessible and affordable to all Nigerians.”

    The minister noted that government was thinking with the idea of granting PHC financial autonomy.

    He explained that “financial autonomy at the PHC facility level, making sure money gets to the PHC facilities directly with facilities having full control of how they utilise the money” would help enhance the viability of PHC.

    This approach, according to Adewole, “has informed our budget process in 2017 and underpins the approach for increasing healthcare services as espoused under the approved guidelines at the Basic Health Care Provision function”.

    He noted that the country was doing everything possible to reduce leakages through routine financial reporting and accountability at all levels.

    He added: “As we are all aware, health care in Nigeria is financed with out of pocket expenses constituting 59 per cent of total health expenditure. This mode of financing is highly inequitable and put citizens at risk of financial hardship.

    “Public health expenditure needs to increase from its current 25 per cent to ensure an equitable delivery of services. Unfortunately, our budgetary allocation has remained below 15 per cent filed by the Nigeria Government during the Abuja Declaration Meeting and the Federal Government allocation to health remains less than six per cent  of our annual budget from 2011 to 2016,” he said.

    Stakeholders, in their reactions, urged the government to increase funding for PHC centres.

    This, they said, is the only way to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Health in 2030.

    The country is among the signatory to the SDGs, which was introduced to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) after its expiration in 2015.

    Nigeria, like most Third World countries, failed to attain the MDG target for health, especially in the area of Universal Health Coverage, Maternal and Child Mortality.

    The stakeholders added that the N303.9 billion proposed in the 2017 appropriation bill for health could not achieve the SDGs.

    John Cardinal Onaiyekan, in his remark, called on the government to save the PHC centres for the sake of the masses.

    Onaiyekan, who is the archbishop, Abuja Diocese, stressed that health is not a luxury, hence, “PHC is necessary and important for the sake of those who cannot afford to pay their bills”.

    He urged the government to partner the churches in providing health services to the people, noting that many churches would like to provide healthcare services should the government reaches out to them.

    The Emir of Jiwa, Alhaji Idris Musa, said PHC centres were not functioning in most rural areas where they needed them most.

    The emir complained that PHCs have been abandoned in most local government areas, a trend he urged the government to reverse.

    He assured the government of the support of the traditional rulers in ensuring the success of PHC.

    Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) share the concern raised by other stakeholders in creating sustainable primary health care financing.

    The NMA maintained that the need to have a functional PHC was responsible for the call for the full implementation of the National Health Act.

     

  • Traditional institutions urged to drive primary health care

    Traditional institutions in Cross River State have been charged to sensitize and mobilize their subjects to effectively participate in the implementation of the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHUOR) programme.

    In a one-day interaction of stakeholders on the operations of the programme, which was organized by Action for Rural Development (AFRUD), with support from PAI in Calabar, participants also urged civil society organizations (CSOs) to continue to intensify advocacy, geared towards the full implementation of the programme in the state.

    A communiqué signed by the Chairman, Felix Ukam Ngwu and Secretary, Regina Ekuta Ewa, and two others, observed that Cross River State has done well in the implementation of the programme, especially with the establishment of the Primary Health Care (PHC) Law and State Primary Health Care Development Agency by Governor Ben Ayade.

  • Primary health care: El-Rufai, UK minister, Bill Gates sign MOU

    Primary health care: El-Rufai, UK minister, Bill Gates sign MOU

    The Kaduna State Government, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department for International Development (DFID) and the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) have signed a new strategic partnership on health and governance, as an important step towards stronger primary health care services in rural communities.

    The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will advance the implementation and transformation of the primary health care system in Kaduna State and build upon ongoing support by BMGF and DFID for polio eradication, routine immunisation, family planning and maternal and child health services.

    Speaking during the signing of innovative four-year agreement focused on sustainable primary health care systems strengthening MOU at Government House, Kaduna, United Kingdom Minister on International Development, James Wharton said the United Kingdom is committed to helping Nigeria to address the causes of and eliminate poverty, ensuring no Nigerian is left behind.

    According to UK minister, Wharton “As part of wider multi-sector support at Federal and State level, the UK Department for International Development has invested extensively in health care in Nigeria and Kaduna State, with a particular focus on primary health

    care, reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, immunisation, HIV/AIDS, malaria and nutrition”.

    “This Memorandum of Understanding further strengthens the UK’s partnership with the Kaduna State Government and with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation under a shared vision to improve health,” he said.

    Ayo Ajayi, Africa Director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said gaps in primary health care service delivery are a serious challenge for Nigeria, as demonstrated in the recent polio transmissions in rural areas of northern Nigeria. “Addressing these issues requires tackling the underlying system that delivers PHC, including and beyond the health center level. The Kaduna State Government is prepared to do so and is paving the way for other States. Our Foundation applauds this effort which will enable the poor and vulnerable to access needed health services.

    We look forward to working in partnership with Kaduna State and the UK’s Department for International Development.”

    Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, while commending Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UK Department for International Development (DFID) for their support, said the MOU will strengthen and transform the primary health care system in the state.

    “Health is one of the priority sectors for this government, and primary health care is critical to achieving our goal to deliver for Kaduna State citizens better health and ensure longer life expectancy.”

    El-Rufai added: “Our programs are structured to ensure that a pregnant woman does not die due to her inability to access quality services during pregnancy and childbirth, that a child is not lost from preventable diseases that communities are not overburdened with endemic diseases, and that community linkages are harnessed and promoted.”