WHO revives 23 health centres to protect people’s lives

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is to revive 23 health facilities; enhance healthcare delivery services to people affected by Boko Haram insurgency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

The rehabilitation projects; are funded by the European Union and Global Affairs Canada to strengthen weak healthcare system in the insurgency affected states.

“This will enhance healthcare service delivery that could benefit 150,000 people in affected communities of the region,” said Dr. Clement Peter, WHO’s officer in charge of rehabilitating destroyed health facilities.

He declared that strengthening the healthcare system; is a topmost priority of the global health agency in Northeast.

WHO, according to him, is also embarking on building the capacity of human resource for health, structural rehabilitation and provision of equipment to strengthen healthcare delivery in insurgency affected
region.

He said the insurgents had devastated and denied people access to healthcare delivery system for a decade.
On facilities rehabilitation plans, he said: “Out of the 23 health facilities to be rehabilitated, nine will undergo comprehensive structural renovation.”

He said the eight primary healthcare facilities in Yobe and Adamawa states, including a secondary healthcare facility in Borno; will also be rebuilt.

This, according to him, entails structural rehabilitation and renovation of the health, sanitary facilities and provision of equipment, drugs and medical supplies.

“Most of the health facilities are either partially destroyed by insurgents or over-stretched as a result of population displacements in the region,” said Dr. Collins Owili, WHO Emergency Manager in
northeast.

Citing Yobe, he said: “The Kukar Gadu Primary Health Centre, hitherto, had the capacity to provide healthcare services for more than 11,000 persons.

“But due to recent population displacement, the facility had to cater for more than 21,000 persons including internally displaced persons currently living in Kukar Gadu community.”

The nearest healthcare centre, Babangida clinic was attacked in 2014 by insurgents. Since then, more than 23,000 inhabitants have difficulties accessing health care services. Mallam Isah, also lamented that; “We trekked no less than 12 kilometres to reach this outreach centre.

“Thank God, the outreach session is working in our community today. My daughter would have suffered from treatable illness.

“Since the insurgents attacked this community, the health clinic has not offered services. We have to travel more than 12 kilometres to access healthcare, resort to unorthodox medication or hope for recovery without medication.”