The Governor of Katsina State, Mal. Dikko Umaru Radda, has assured that his administration is committed to carrying out a comprehensive reform of the State’s healthcare sector.
He stated this when the Katsina State Health Needs Assessment Committee, led by Pharmacist Haliru Lawal, submitted a comprehensive report to him.
The report, which outlines the findings of a thorough assessment of Katsina’s health sector, also highlighted urgent needs and recommendations for the improvement of healthcare services across the State.
The assessment encompassed a wide range of healthcare facilities, including Specialist and Specialty Hospitals, General Hospitals, Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), and Health Training Institutions. The study covered all three senatorial zones, providing a holistic view of Katsina’s healthcare landscape.
The Committee’s report underscores the critical need for immediate action in several areas. It also recommended the establishment of a dedicated Committee to determine the financial requirements for addressing equipment and facilities shortage, essential for effective budgeting and planning.
Furthermore, the Committee highlights the urgent necessity of bolstering manpower to prevent service disruptions at government-owned health facilities.
In order to attract and retain experts, the report recommends aligning salaries and allowances in Katsina’s health sector with Federal Civil Service standards. This move is aimed at ensuring a skilled and motivated workforce in the State’s healthcare system.
Moreover, the report advocates the establishment of Hospital Committees with community representation, designing frameworks for private healthcare facility registration and monitoring, and the decentralization of healthcare budgets for performance-based allocation.
Governor Dikko Radda, while receiving the Committee’s report, assured that he will carefully examine the document and implement the Committee’s recommendations.
He praised the Committee’s dedication and assured that the document would be revisited in due course for further deliberation.
