The Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the State Primary Healthcare Management Board (SPHCMB), has advanced to Day Four of its ongoing statewide reaccreditation and data validation exercise across Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs).
The exercise, aimed at strengthening healthcare quality and accountability, is gaining momentum as assessment teams continue to expand coverage across additional Local Government Areas in the state.
Officials said the initiative is focused on ensuring that healthcare facilities meet established standards for service delivery under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and other health financing schemes.
Activities on the fourth day included comprehensive facility assessments, with teams evaluating infrastructure, availability of essential medicines, adequacy of skilled health personnel, service efficiency, and the effectiveness of data management systems.
The teams also conducted detailed data validation to verify service records, utilisation trends, and overall operational performance of the facilities.
Preliminary findings from the exercise indicate persistent gaps in human resource capacity, particularly shortages of doctors and skilled birth attendants, which continue to affect the quality of care in some centres.
Access to healthcare services also remains a challenge, especially in hard-to-reach communities where distance limits utilisation. This situation is further complicated by weak referral systems, as long distances to secondary healthcare facilities delay timely patient transfers.
Despite these challenges, the exercise is yielding important insights into facility coordination, record-keeping practices, and community engagement—factors considered critical to improving accountability and overall health system performance.
Stakeholders noted that findings from the exercise will guide targeted interventions to improve service readiness, strengthen workforce capacity, enhance referral systems, and boost public awareness and utilisation of healthcare services.
KSCHMA, NHIA, and SPHCMB reaffirmed their commitment to building a resilient and inclusive primary healthcare system that delivers quality and affordable services to residents across Kano State.