NASS Committee Launches Probe Into Healthcare Challenges In Katsina

A high-level delegation from the National Assembly Committee on Basic Healthcare Services, led by Chairman Amos Gwamna Magaji, on Wednesday visited Katsina State to oversee the implementation of basic healthcare services in the state.

The committee’s visit aimed to assess the state’s progress towards achieving universal health coverage and identify areas for improvement.

Magaji expressed concern over the state’s high maternal mortality rate and zero-dose immunization in some local government areas, including Mani, Kankara, Safana, Rimi, Funtua, Baure, Batagarawa, and Katsina.

He questioned why these areas were still struggling with healthcare delivery despite Katsina being one of the most educated states in Nigeria.

The committee chairman also emphasized the importance of fulfilling the constitutional mandate of overseeing funds appropriated by the National Assembly and identifying gaps in the healthcare system.

He noted that Nigeria still faces significant challenges in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and child hunger, and that the committee is working to increase the basic healthcare provision fund from 1% to 2% for vulnerable populations.

“There are the basic health provision funds that started since 2000 and have helped to strengthen the primary healthcare in Nigeria, and are moving towards universal health coverage and out-of-pocket expenses, as the basic healthcare provision funds are dealing with some of these key issues.

“But unfortunately, we still have long way to go and with 2030, the period that was given for us to meet universal health coverage, we discovered that if we don’t rise up to do our constitutional mandate that’s over-sighting every fund appropriated by the national Assembly and then to also see where there are gaps and to see if there areas where we can come in to improve the system, definitely we may not be able to wage the universal health coverage.

“Katsina is one of the states with with high maternal mortality rate, and then zero dose, and if we continue to have those indicators, it will be difficult for us to provide health for our people. Some Local Governments of note in Katsina State that have zero dose are Mani, Kankara, Safana, Rimi, Funtua, Baure, Batagarawa, and even Katsina. So we want to know from you the reasons why we still have zero dose in some of these areas, because Katsina State is one of the most educated states in Nigeria.

“So we want to know why we are still having constraints, what the problems are, and why we are having challenges in the healthcare delivery system. Nigeria is tough now in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and we still have children that die out of hunger in Nigeria, which should not be so. Hon Commissioner, heads of agencies, we are here to hear and learn from you and to see what we are going to contribute.

“We are already working on making sure that we probably move from one percent to two percent of basic healthcare provision funds for our poor people in our community. Nigerians must have good health; our indicators are always bad,” he stated.

Responding, the Katsina State Commissioner for Health, Musa Funtua, highlighted the challenges affecting healthcare service delivery in the state, including porous borders, insecurity, and increased medicine costs.

Funtua noted that some primary healthcare centres are not operating 24 hours a day and that border management is a major priority for the state government.

Funtua further mentioned that the state government has been supporting farmers to achieve food security and implementing empowerment programs to eradicate poverty.

He, however, acknowledged that security challenges in some local government areas, particularly Mashi and Kaita, which share borders with the Niger Republic, are hindering healthcare delivery.

“Porus border and insecurity are some of the challenges affecting healthcare service delivery in the State, amidst increased cost of medicine, with some of the PHCs not running 24-hour service

“Border Management is one of our major priorities. The State Government has been supportive of farmers in achieving food security. Most of the areas grappling with maternal mortality, which have zero dose, are having security challenges, particularly Mashi and Kaita LGAs, which have a border with the Niger Republic. Katsina State is proactive; we are doing a lot of Empowerment programs so that we eradicate poverty,” he said.

The committee’s visit aims to identify solutions to these challenges and improve healthcare outcomes in Katsina State.