Katsina Patients Denied Treatment As Terrorists Force State To Shut Down 69 Health Centres

The Katsina State Government has shut down 69 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in some Local Government Areas over activities of terrorists, leaving sick patients in the state with no access to medical services.

Dr. Shamsudeen Yahaya, Executive Secretary of the State Healthcare Development Agency (KSPHDA), said this in an interview with journalists in Katsina.

Yahaya said that the affected primary healthcare centers are located in different hard-to-reach communities in Jibia, Safana, Batsari, Faskari, Sabuwa, and other LGAs in the state.

He said that two recently renovated primary healthcare centers in Batsari Local Government were burnt down by terrorists.

He mentioned that insecurity had significantly affected healthcare delivery in the state.

Yahaya said: “For example, we renovated two facilities in Batsari but they were attacked and burnt by bandits.

“Right now, about 69 facilities are closed down in Jibia, Safana, Batsari, Sabuwa, Faskari and other LGAs due to insecurity and we have had some of our staff kidnapped but later released.

“Another challenge is that almost every week, we receive requests from our staff, especially females, that they should be moved from those areas to Katsina, Batagarawa, or Kaita. These are the issues that we are fencing.”

He, however, said that the state government had perfected plans to recruit 272 health workers to tackle the problem of manpower besetting the health sector in the state.