The Chairman of the Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC), Dr. Mustafa Lecky, has reiterated the coalition’s commitment to ensuring functional and accessible Primary Healthcare (PHC) services in Kaduna State.
Dr. Lecky made this known in his opening remarks delivered virtually at the Kaduna State Stakeholders’ Meeting on the Social and Citizens Accountability for Primary Health Care Performance (SCAPP) held at the Ministry of Health.
He explained that despite being out of the country, the importance of the meeting compelled him to participate remotely, stressing that the exercise was timely and crucial in restating stakeholders’ resolve to provide equitable health services for all citizens, particularly the most vulnerable.
According to him, HSRC is partnering with BudgIT and the Kaduna State Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM) under the SCAPP project to strengthen PHC delivery across the state.
Dr. Lecky noted that the meeting aimed to share findings from the project, particularly citizens’ experiences with health services and the functionality of Ward Development Committees, which play a vital role in advancing PHC in communities.
“We will highlight some success factors as well as challenges and gaps in service delivery and governance. The goal is to foster greater collaboration among all stakeholders—government, development partners, private sector actors, and communities—in pursuit of universal health coverage in Kaduna State,” he stated.
The HSRC Chairman emphasized that Primary Health Care remains the foundation of effective health systems, as it provides preventive, promotive, and curative services closest to the people.
Strengthening the system, he said, would help reduce preventable diseases, improve maternal and child health, manage endemic illnesses, and enhance resilience against health emergencies.
He called on stakeholders to review findings transparently, commit to concrete actions with clear timelines, and institutionalize follow-up mechanisms to ensure accountability and progress.
“With deliberate, coordinated effort, Kaduna State’s PHC system can deliver the quality of care our people deserve. Let us work together with humility, urgency, and shared resolve,” Dr. Lecky said.
In his remarks, the Executive of Health Sector Reform Coalition of Nigeria and who is also a core member of the Implementation Team for Social and Citizens’ Accountability for Primary Health Care (PHC) Performance in Kaduna State, Ambassador Onoja, emphasized that primary healthcare is the foundation of the nation’s health security and must remain the first point of contact for citizens seeking medical services.
He, however described the state of Nigeria’s primary healthcare system as “horrible” and “in a comatose condition.”
Ambassador Onoja warned that the system is at its weakest point, which poses a serious threat to the nation’s overall healthcare delivery.
“Primary healthcare is the foundation of the health system in the country, and once it is weak, the entire system is compromised,” he stressed.
Ambassador Onoja, however, commended Kaduna State for making significant progress, citing collaborations with the Health Sector Reforms Coalition (HSRC) and the Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM) to improve accountability and efficiency.
He said the ongoing intervention covers about 200 healthcare facilities across the state, with the goal of restoring functionality and responsiveness.
“The aim is to ensure that grassroots communities, who form the majority of the population, can access quality, affordable, and reliable healthcare services.
Community leaders and residents must therefore take ownership by participating actively, demanding accountability, and asking critical questions where service gaps exist,” he added.
Also speaking, Dr. Biobele Davidson of the BudgIT Foundation said the organization has intensified efforts to promote community inclusion and accountability in healthcare service delivery through the Strengthening Community Accountability and Public Participation (SCAPP) project, funded by the Gates Foundation.
She explained that the initiative—supported by the development of the PHCTracka platform—is being implemented in 200 communities and healthcare facilities across all 23 LGAs of Kaduna State.
“The project works closely with community-based structures such as KADMAM and HSRC to strengthen participation and institutional collaboration with local governments and the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA),” Davidson said.
According to her, the SCAPP project is designed to improve health outcomes by reducing morbidity and mortality, particularly among women, children, and vulnerable groups, while empowering communities to take ownership of their local facilities.
“BudgIT reported that so far, the project has facilitated over 345 town hall meetings with more than 4,000 citizens, alongside 428 Ward Development Committee meetings attended by about 5,500 participants”.
“A baseline assessment and gender analysis survey has also been conducted to understand existing health trends, with service delivery now being tracked with particular focus on maternal, newborn, and child health”.
“The PHCTracka portal has already received over 36,000 feedback reports from citizens and patients, reinforcing accountability and transparency in service delivery”.
However, Davidson noted that challenges remain, including delays in accessing validated facility-level health data, security concerns in some communities, and leadership changes in Ward Development Committees which have disrupted citizen engagement in certain areas.
During her remark, the Vice Chairman of the Health System Strengthening Project under HSRC and SCAPP Project Lead, Prof. Clara Ejembi, highlighted that over 36,000 citizens across 200 wards have so far provided feedback on the services they use in 148 healthcare facilities, further demonstrating the value of community participation.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Aisha Abubakar Sadiq, disclosed this during an overview meeting on the implementation of ongoing health sector reforms held at the ministry.
She said the state currently has over 1,000 primary healthcare facilities, the previous administration renovated 255 facilities, while the present administration under Governor Uba Sani is working toward rehabilitating another 255 primary healthcare centers across the state.
“Our objective is to make healthcare facilities accessible to every community in Kaduna State. The government is not only focusing on infrastructure but also on strengthening personnel, ensuring adequate drug supply, improving funding, and enhancing monitoring and accountability,” she said.
Dr. Aisha Sadiq appealed to communities to complement government efforts by monitoring services and reporting challenges through available platforms, including social media, to enable timely government intervention.
The event was attended by representatives of the Ministries of Health, Finance, and Budget, all 23 local government chairmen, as well as traditional and religious leaders, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts in strengthening Kaduna’s health system.
COV: Adamu Yusuf
