The Niger State House of Assembly Standing Committee on Health, Nutrition, and Primary Health Care has expressed serious concerns regarding the excessive strain on healthcare facilities caused by the overwhelming number of students at centers visited in Minna, the state capital.
According to the committee, this overloading of healthcare facilities would negatively impact their operational effectiveness and service delivery to patients.
The committee, led by its chairman, Umar Nasir, who represents Paikoro Constituency, made these observations during an oversight visit to level-two primary healthcare facilities in Minna.
Nasir noted that the current conditions at these facilities do not provide a conducive environment for staff to discharge their duties according to professional standards.
"This visit is a significant step towards ensuring that the health care system in the state is functioning effectively and efficiently," the lawmaker stated during the inspection.
He emphasized that the committee undertook the visit as part of its legislative responsibility to support the executive arm of government's efforts in improving healthcare delivery in the state.
"The oversight is not restricted to only Minna, but we intend to spread it to other level-two primary health care facilities," Nasir explained. "At the end of the oversight function, we will come up with a conclusive report to be presented at the plenary of the House for further legislative action."
The committee's itinerary included visits to several healthcare centers, including Idris Ibrahim Kuta Memorial Primary Health Care Centre, Lafiya Jari, Soje B Kpakungu, Taimakon Juna GPMC, Peter Sarki Road, and the Ministry of Primary Health Care.
Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, Commissioner for Primary Health Care, commended the committee for their oversight visit, highlighting its importance in strengthening accountability and improving service delivery.
"The essence of the visit is to strengthen the committee's oversight function to ensure accountability in the system, service delivery, and people's satisfaction with the services. This collaborative effort between the executive and the judiciary is a good development in the quest for better service delivery," Dr. Dangana stated.
The officers in charge of the visited facilities, including Hadiza Ahmed of the Idris Ibrahim Kuta Memorial Primary Health Care Centre and Aminu Shehu of Lafiya Jari Soje B Kpakungu, expressed gratitude for the committee's visit while highlighting critical challenges facing their operations.
These challenges include significant manpower shortages and lack of reliable power supply, particularly solar lighting systems. The facility managers assured the committee that all observations made during the visit would be addressed accordingly.
The committee's final report is expected to provide valuable insights and recommendations for improving the healthcare system across Niger State, with particular attention to addressing the student overload issue at Minna health facilities.
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