By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has received five awards from different health sector unions in recognition of his administration’s efforts at revitalising healthcare delivery and improving workers’ welfare since assuming office.
The awards were presented on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board headquarters, where the governor also flagged off the distribution of medical equipment and ambulances to health facilities across the state.
The unions that honoured the governor include the Kaduna State Council of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (Kaduna State chapter), the National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria, and the Association of Medical Laboratory Technicians and Assistants of Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, Governor Sani outlined key achievements of his administration in the health sector over the last two and a half years, noting that his government has revitalised and upgraded 255 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to Level-2 status—the highest number recorded by any state in the country. He said the move was aimed at expanding access to quality healthcare, particularly in underserved communities.
He further disclosed that the state had established 23 PHC Centres of Excellence—one in each local government area—to provide advanced care, improve data generation and strengthen referral systems.
“We have also established 120 new neonatal corners across the state, significantly reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality, especially in rural and underserved areas,” the governor said.
Governor Sani added that his administration had procured three oxygen plants with a robust carrier system to supply other health facilities, a measure targeted at reducing deaths arising from emergency cases. He also said 19 general hospitals across the state had been renovated to strengthen secondary healthcare services and serve as effective referral centres from PHCs.
According to the governor, the Kaduna State Drugs and Health Supplies Management Agency (KADHSMA) warehouse has been upgraded to a pharma-grade facility with a 1,600-square-metre storage capacity to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines.
On workers’ welfare, he said the state government had commenced payment of the full 2024 CONMESS and CONHESS salary scales and cleared all promotion backlogs.
Governor Sani explained that the distribution of modern medical equipment and ambulances, which was flagged off at the event, was aimed at improving service delivery, emergency response and referral systems across the state. He noted that the exercise marked the second tranche of state-of-the-art medical equipment distributed to PHCs since his administration assumed office.
“We strongly believe that no mother should lose her life while giving birth, and no child should die from preventable causes because essential equipment or timely transportation is unavailable,” he said.
The governor described the newly commissioned Primary Health Care Board headquarters as the biggest of its kind in the country, adding that it would serve as the nerve centre for driving reforms, monitoring performance and ensuring optimal functionality of PHCs across all wards in the state.
He also welcomed 1,800 newly recruited health workers into the system, describing them as the first batch of an annual recruitment plan to be implemented over five consecutive years.
“This bold recruitment drive demonstrates our recognition that infrastructure and equipment alone are not enough—people are the backbone of healthcare,” Governor Sani said.
He reaffirmed that his administration would continue to prioritise primary healthcare, describing it as the foundation of a functional health system and a critical pathway to achieving Universal Health Coverage.
“Through facility revitalisation, improved governance under the Primary Health Care Under One Roof policy, health workforce expansion and strategic partnerships, we are ensuring that quality healthcare is accessible to all, regardless of location or socioeconomic status,” he added.
