By Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi
In the primary healthcare centre located at Lawushi Boh Community, Shongom LGA, Gombe State, lively footsteps of doctors and nurses used to grace the consulting rooms and drug stores of the clinic. Now, the silence has taken over, as the doctors and nurses are no longer present, and many helpless patients lay sick by the benches.
Though the building looks new from the outside, many fixtures are not functional. The water system does not work. Even medical supplies are scanty despite the recent allocation of N6.9 million for medical supplies to the centre.
Apart from the staff shortage, water scarcity and inadequate medical supplies, the toilet facility was derelict.
Awang Johanna, the healthcare center medical officer, said: “The lack of essential drugs and water makes it difficult to treat patients, and many of them now seek healthcare far away from the community.”
According to Johanna, the incidents of ulcer and typhoid infection are high, yet there is no testing machine. Therefore, many patients have to be sent to cities for test.
Due to the collapse of healthcare system in the state, Gombe was listed as one of the poorest performing states in primary health care services, according to a 2022 report by the ONE Campaign and partners.
In January 2017, President Buhari launched a plan to renovate 10,000 health centres across Nigeria, including the centre at Lawushi Boh Community. Nearly 11 months later, the government allocated a N28 billion health fund to revitalise PHCs across the country.
Poorly Executed Projects Worsen Access to Proper Healthcare
The entrance of Garko Community’s run-down primary healthcare centre in Akko Local Government, Gombe State, is bustling with people. Some crouching, while others coughing on a grimy floor, as families prayed for their loved ones who were sick.
Inside the PHC, the situation was in a sorry state – no medicines, no proper equipment, and a leaky roof that cause the clinic to be flooded anytime there is rain.
Hannatu Lokos, a dedicated health worker at the PHC, isn’t spared from the havoc caused by the centre’s dire condition. She too suffered due to the condition of the clinic.
Garko healthcare center existed for a decade, but it lay dormant for six years before finally opening in 2020. The building is a complete wreck now, with a roof that leaks like a sieve.
“I had a miscarriage due to the dampness. One rainy night, we toiled to clean the PHC, and by morning, I was sick and lost the baby,” Hannatu said.
Lokos shared her frustration, citing numerous instances where they couldn’t help patients due to the lack of proper facilities.
“Just yesterday, a gasping patient was admitted, and sadly, we couldn’t assist because we lacked oxygen and essential tools. He was transferred to Gombe and later passed away,” she said.
“A hospital without proper equipment can’t offer decent healthcare. We’re in darkness due to the town’s electricity issues, relying on local lanterns for light. The leaky roof is a nightmare during rains, drenching patients and us. Our equipment is shoddy, and if it malfunctions, we’re forced to buy new ones out of our own pockets.”
When women appear for delivery, there are no adequate beds, yet the resilient spirit of the health workers keeps them striving for better care despite these challenges.
[Photo: Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi]
In 2020, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency took a step forward by initiating the construction of PHC Level 2 in Garko, located within Akko Iga of Gombe State.
Harsh Realities Faced by Patients
Abubakar Muhammad, 56, and Muhammad Abdullahi, 45, from Nyole, have been regular visitors at the PHC for healthcare services. They said the PHC offers no protection to patients during rain due to the leaking roof.
The clinic is also bereft of basic equipment such as diagnostic tests, and vital blood tests. The scarcity of testing facilities greatly affects the center’s capacity to effectively diagnose and treat patients.
Therefore, many individuals find themselves waiting for extended periods to undergo basic tests, resulting in delayed treatment.
[Photo: Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi]
Currently, the PHC stands dilapidated. PHC staff and residents attest to the fact that no construction activity took place at the site during the specified year.
Pains and Struggles of Residents of Lawushi Community in Search for Good Healthcare
Aishatu Dahiru, 36, still vividly recalls the night she went into labour with her firstborn, Adamu, now a bubbly two-year-old.
In the chilly darkness of a January 2021 evening at 8:20 pm, Aishatu and her husband rushed to Lawshi PHC Centre, a mere 45 meters from their doorstep. To their shock, the facility was shrouded in darkness, devoid of water, electricity, and even basic medical tools, leaving them stranded.
[Photo: Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi]
“The only person present was closing the gate as we arrived,” Aishatu recollects, anger etched in her voice.
“He told us he couldn’t assist because there was no essential – no light, no water, nothing. He directed us to a distant town for help, leaving us no choice. And so, my child was born at home, an ordeal that left him with a lifelong eye ailment, attributed to the circumstances of his birth.”
Aishatu Dahiru’s story resonates across Lawushi, where women face the grim reality of childbirth. Each visit to the PHC by women of the community yields the same outcome – the center lacks basic amenities, forcing them to embark on a 32-kilometer trek to town in pursuit of proper care.
Aishatu Aminu is another woman who experienced a similar ordeal. Under the scorching sun of June 2022, she endured labour pains at Lawshi PHC. After a challenging delivery, the situation turned dire but the PHC’s cupboard was empty of medical supplies and there was no water supply too.
“I had safely delivered, but the doctor revealed the alarming truth,” Aishatu said, her voice tinged with the memory’s anguish.
“My husband scrambled to find money, hoping to get necessary supplies from town. I lay helpless, losing blood. No water even for basic hygiene. Time ticked away as my health deteriorated, eventually leading to my transfer to a distant town’s hospital.”
Aishatu Adamu, 40, another patient, also expressed her distress over the lack of proper equipment at the clinic. She expressed deep concern over the availability of only one delivery bed in the clinic which makes it difficult for pregnant women to choose the PHC for the delivery of their babies.
Revitalising Dilapidated PHCs to Improve Healthcare Access, Failed
In 2020, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the Governor of Gombe State, took a significant step by allocating N605 million to the State Primary Health Care Development Agency as part of the Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP).
This initiative aimed to enhance healthcare services by rehabilitating selected PHCs within the state. Among these, the Primary Health Clinic in the Pokata Community of Shongom Local Government Area (LGA) stood out, but unfortunately, its state of disrepair led to its closure.
[Photo: Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi]
The facility’s deteriorated condition, characterised by damaged roofs and walls, posed a challenge for the community’s health needs. Lack of essential medical equipment, combined with the intrusion of rainwater, compounded the problem, pushing residents to seek medical care at distant locations.
Tiponas Solomon, a dedicated healthcare worker, battles with incidents of malaria and typhoid, as well as her team of three practitioners and two attendants. Their relentless efforts have persisted for two years, despite the clinic’s poor condition and leaking roof.
[Photo: Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi]
“Access to clean water is a pressing need,” Tiponas laments. “Prescribing medication becomes a problem when patients resort to murky pond water, undermining the efficacy of treatments. Even post-recovery patients continue to drink unclean water.”
Bata Gajere, 20, appealed to the government to intervene quickly and provide the missing basic amenities.
“Our clinic is fighting for survival; just as out patients. We need help,” he said.
This investigation is produced with support from the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability Project (CMEDIA) and funded by MacArthur Foundation.
