…..as 83 children died of acute malnutrition in 3 years

…Specialist Hospital Lafia overstretched.

Primary Health Care Centers across Nasarawa state are in ruins and deplorable state as most of the facilities are ill-equipped while majority are inadequately staffed.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had in September 2017 donated $500,000 dollars (about N200 million) to Nasarawa State Primary Health care Development Agency,NSPHCDA for the upgrade of primary health care facilities in the state.

However, most residents especially at the rural areas have continued to besiege the state owned Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital Lafia to access medical attention even for minor illnesses that would have been taken care of by the primary health care facilities due to lack of drugs and non availability of personnel at the PHCs.

Our correspondent gathered that with the state of affairs of PHCs in the state, it is alleged the donation from Bill and Melvindale Gate might have been mismanaged.

It was also gathered that about 83 children have died of acute malnutrition in Nasarawa state from 2017 to date with little or no visible efforts by the state government through NSPHCDA towards addressing the trend .

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that barely two years after such huge amount was sunk into the PHCs, they appear smacks of neglect and are in shambles.

In 2017, the CS-SUNN, an NGO reported that 33 children died of acute malnutrition in Nasarawa, while in 2018, a nutrition officer in NSPHCDA comfirmed the death of 30 children over acute malnutrition and 20 died so far in 2019 due to none availability of food supplements to manage malnourished children at the15 centres designated to take care of children suffering from the condition across the state.

The Executive Chairman of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency Dr Adis Mohammed refused to disclose to our correspondent how much the state has invested so far in the primary health care sector in the last three years given the rising death of children and maternal mortality.

Our correspondent who visited most of the PHCs across the state gathered that apart from inadequate manpower, most building housing such centers are in state of disrepair, the roof caved in during rainstorm while ceilings and windows are in dire need of attention to prevent them from falling.

A visit to Kayarda and Duduguru PHCs in Obi local government area of the state revealed that the unkempt environment surrounding the centers subjected it to invasion by rodents and insects, also workers and patients usually defecate in a nearby bush as there was no functional toilets facilities.

A worker who pleaded anonymity said that the facility did not get supply of medical aids, including drugs from the local or state government as they buy drugs from pharmacies.

The residents who spoke to our correspondent cried out over the deplorable state of PHCs, noting that it was sad that the PHCs had been left to deteriorate.

When contacted, the state executive chairman of NSPHCDA Dr Adis Mohammed decline comment and rather referred our correspondent to the state ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning.

At the state ministry of Finance, budget and planning, the Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Alidzi Maman said the state government has released substantial funds to the State Primary Health Care Development Agency to put the PHCs in good condition to enable residents access quality health services.

He expressed surprise over the high number of children that died due to non availability of Ready to use Food and other supplements to manage Severe Acute Malnutrition.