By Aminu Abdullahi Ibrahim
In Kuki town, a rural community in Kano State, falling sick is not just a health challenge, it is a race against time. Situated in Bebeji Local Government Area, Kuki town comprising Kalgon Kuki and Nasarawar Kuki is grappling with two persistent problems: the absence of a functional hospital and severely dilapidated access roads.
For residents, especially pregnant women, children and the elderly, accessing medical care often means trekking long distances or enduring risky motorcycle rides over broken roads filled with potholes, sand and mud.
A Community Without a Hospital
There is no properly equipped healthcare centre in Kuki capable of handling emergencies. For serious cases, residents must travel over 20 kilometres to Bebeji town or make the longer journey to a general hospital in Kano city.
A resident of Nasarawar Kuki, Auwal A Shekau, described the experience as exhausting and dangerous.
“When someone falls sick at night, we start looking for transport. Sometimes there is none. We walk for hours before reaching help. By the time we arrive, the condition may have worsened.”
He added that even reaching the main road is a struggle.
“From our village to the main road that links us to other towns is another serious problem. The road is badly damaged. During the rainy season, it becomes almost impossible.”
Another resident, Matiyu Manyaci Mainiya, said the community feels cut off whenever it rains.
“Vehicles refuse to come here. Even motorcycles get stuck in the mud. If a pregnant woman goes into labour or a child is critically ill, we feel completely helpless.”
For Abubakar Hamisu Kuki, the situation reflects years of neglect.
“We are farmers. We contribute to the food supply of this state. Yet we don’t have a standard primary healthcare centre. It is painful to be this forgotten.”
Pregnant Women at Risk
At a small health post that lacks equipment, drugs and adequate staff, Hadiza Garba, a pregnant woman, spoke about her fear.
“During my last pregnancy, I was taken on a motorcycle when labour started. The road was rough and every bump caused me pain. I was afraid for my life and my baby.”
Looking worried, she added:
“There is only one health worker attending to many patients here. I keep thinking about what will happen when my delivery date comes. If there is a complication, where will I go?”
Another expectant mother, Shamsiyya Umar, said pregnancy in Kuki is often overshadowed by anxiety.
“As our delivery date approaches, we don’t sleep peacefully. We keep thinking about how we will reach a hospital if labour starts suddenly.”
She revealed that she once suffered a miscarriage.
“Four years ago, I lost a pregnancy because there was no qualified health official to attend to me. If we had proper facilities, maybe it would have been different.”
For Zainab Usman, 45, the hardship affects the entire family.
“We endure pregnancy with courage, but we are afraid. Even our children suffer. When they fall sick, we delay going to the hospital because of the distance and bad roads.”
The Elderly Left to Endure
Seventy-year-old Habiba Ibrahim Waziri said old age has made the journey for treatment almost impossible.
“I cannot walk long distances anymore. When I am sick, sometimes I stay at home and endure the pain. I have no strength for the journey.”
Traditional Leadership Raises Alarm
The District Head of Kuki, Abdullahi Tijjani Abdullahi, said the suffering of his people demands urgent action.
“Our community has grown, but development has not reached us. We urgently need a functional healthcare centre and motorable roads. Our pregnant women and elderly citizens are suffering unnecessarily.”
He appealed directly to authorities.
“We are calling on the government to see this as a priority. Access to healthcare is a basic right of every citizen.”
Authorities Respond
The Vice Chairman of Bebeji Local Government, Ali Ibrahim Waziri, acknowledged the seriousness of the issue.
“We are aware of the road conditions and the lack of adequate healthcare facilities in Kuki and Nasarawar Kuki. These are genuine concerns.”
He said the local government has written several requests to the state government seeking intervention.
“We have communicated these challenges to the Kano State Government, and we believe the Governor will take necessary steps. The member representing the area in the Kano State House of Assembly has also presented motions regarding these issues.”
Commissioner Yet to Respond
Several attempts were made to obtain comments from the Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf. Although he acknowledged receipt of messages sent to him, he did not provide any response regarding the situation in Kuki town as of the time of filing this report.
Call for Immediate Intervention
- Residents are urging the Kano State Government, Bebeji Local Government Council and relevant agencies to urgently prioritise:
- Construction and equipping of a standard primary healthcare centre in Kuki town.
- Rehabilitation of the damaged access roads linking the community to major towns.
- Deployment of qualified health personnel.
- Provision of emergency transport services for pregnant women and critically ill patients.
For the people of Kuki town, access to healthcare remains a daily struggle marked by distance, fear and uncertainty. Until roads are repaired and a functional hospital is established, residents say they will continue to face preventable risks — simply because of where they live.