The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on community leaders and residents in Kano State to take ownership of health facilities to ensure the sustainability of investments in primary healthcare.
UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Kano, Shafeeq Ur-Rehman, made the call while handing over the renovated DISO Primary Healthcare Centre in Gwale Local Government Area to the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board (SPHCMB).
The DISO PHC is one of five healthcare facilities renovated under a Global Fund-supported programme implemented by UNICEF.
Ur-Rehman stressed that sustained community engagement was critical to preserving healthcare investments and ensuring that the facilities continued to serve present and future generations.
He urged relevant stakeholders to ensure proper maintenance of the infrastructure, adequate staffing with skilled health workers, regular availability of medicines, vaccines and essential supplies, as well as continuous monitoring of service delivery.
The UNICEF official said stronger community ownership was also essential to improving the quality and sustainability of primary healthcare services.
He expressed appreciation for the partnership between UNICEF, the Kano State Government and the SPHCMB, saying the project demonstrated what could be achieved when government, development partners and communities worked towards a common goal.
Ur-Rehman also acknowledged the Global Fund for its continued investment in strengthening health infrastructure and service delivery.
He said the true value of such investments should not be measured only by renovated buildings, but by the number of lives improved through quality healthcare services delivered within the facilities.
He reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Kano State in strengthening its primary healthcare system and improving the health and well-being of children, women and families.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the SPHCMB, Prof. Salisu Ibrahim, represented by the Director of Administration, Adamu Fate, commended UNICEF for the intervention.
Fate said the renovation of the DISO facility and similar interventions in other parts of the state would contribute to improving the quality of primary healthcare delivery.
He noted that the intervention was a welcome development and expressed the Board’s appreciation to UNICEF for its support towards strengthening healthcare services across Kano State.