In a significant milestone for the health sector, Katsina State governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has announced the successful upgrade and renovation of 158 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state as part of his administration’s sweeping reforms to improve healthcare delivery.
Governor Radda disclosed on Thursday at the Government House during the official signing of a Multi-Year Work Plan (2025–2027) with UNICEF, aimed at strengthening child-focused services in health, education, nutrition, and social welfare.
“These PHCs have been equipped with modern medical tools, reliable water supply, solar-powered electricity, and tricycle ambulances.
“More facilities will be rehabilitated this year to ensure that every ward in the state has access to a fully functional and efficient health centre,” he said.
To ensure accountability and improved service delivery, the state has also introduced a biometric clock-in system for PHC workers and launched a cloud-based electronic health records platform.
Governor Radda emphasised that health remains a top priority for his administration.
“We have distributed 361 motorcycles to frontline health workers to boost immunization coverage and committed over ₦500 million in counterpart funding to combat acute malnutrition in partnership with UNICEF,” he added.
The administration’s efforts also extend to tertiary healthcare, with a Residency Training Programme and foreign scholarships for medical students underway.
The state’s Medical College is now in its third academic year, with the first cohort of locally trained doctors expected to graduate within four years.
UNICEF Health Manager, Dr. Serekeberehan Seyoum, who represented the agency during the signing ceremony, praised Katsina’s bold investments in the health sector.
“Katsina has taken impressive strides under Governor Radda’s leadership,” he said, citing the state’s integrated mobile outreach and maternal-child health tracking systems as models for others.
The Multi-Year Work Plan, developed jointly by UNICEF’s Kano Field Office and relevant Katsina State MDAs, is part of the ongoing Federal Government of Nigeria–UNICEF Country Programme of Cooperation (2023–2027).
Dr Seyoum also highlighted the importance of continued domestic investment in key sectors and called for intensified efforts to eradicate polio.
He emphasised the need for collective action by traditional leaders, religious institutions, and local government officials to ensure no child is left unvaccinated.
In a show of solidarity, UNICEF extended condolences to Governor Radda on the recent passing of his mother, Hajiya Safara’u Umaru Bare-Bari. The signing ceremony was attended by Deputy Governor Malam Faruk Lawal Jobe, State Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Nasir Yahaya Daura, commissioners, top government functionaries, and senior UNICEF officials.
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