As part of efforts to improve on its health delivery service, Kaduna State Government said it had commenced the recruitment of over 5,000 Primary Health Care (PHC) workers.
It also said it will complete the rehabilitation of the 255 PHC facilities across the state by October.
Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe made the disclosures while receiving the members of Partnership for Advocacy on Child and Family Health (PaCFaH), led by its spokesperson, Bartolomeo Sati, on courtesy call at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.
Groups under the PACFaH include: National Association of Nurses and Midwives, Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria, Interfaith Mediation Centre, Global Initiative for Women and Children and Maintaining Family Health Support Initiative Group.
The deputy governor assured of timely release of funds for health services in the state, adding that much difference will be seen in tempo at which MDAs and ministries receive funds.
She said: “We have been given the go ahead to recruit over 5,000 PHC workers and we will start first by recruiting 3,059.
“We know before the end of the year, we might not get up to that quantity, so we are phasing the recruitment exercise to enable us take in some and fill up where they are most critically needed.”
Balarabe, however, noted: “Financial access is still a problem because of the high out-of-pocket services people still suffer from, but we are launching the contributory health insurance scheme very soon and begin enrollment. We would be able to cover that.
“Kaduna is not going with the formal settings; we are starting with both the formal and informal settings, so that we can have people actually utilise and obtain the services rendered at no cost.
“You mention the basic health care provision fund and we have paid our counterparts.
“Our plan is that in places where we are commencing the contributory health scheme, we need to put those places in top shape; by making available basic equipment if not available and also provide staff even if it’s on a contract basis.” (The Nation)
