The people of Zakirai town in Kano state have expressed their frustration to the state government for not providing the town’s Primary Health Care hospital with a physician for 29 years now since it was built during the administration of Governor Abdullahi Wase.
The hospital in Zakirai town was built In 1994 by the government of Kano state and it is under the control of Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board. But till date there isn’t a permanent medical doctor in the hospital.
Zakirai town which is the headquarters of Gabasawa local government is 42 kilometers away from Kano city and the town has a population of more than one hundred thousand people, but the people of the town are facing different challenges especially in the health sector.
Labarai24 reporter interviewed some indigenes of Zakirai town where they explained the challenges they are facing especially when their wives are on labour or any other emergency that requires a doctor.
Muhammadu Auwal, one of the youth leaders in the town, said that in addition to the lack of a Physician in the hospital, they also suffer from lack of staff who can provide support for minor illnesses.
Also, Muhammad Auwal said that Zakirai Primary Healthcare has become a breeding ground for temporary workers who act according to their personal interest mainly by selling medicine to patients at the price they decide.
“Since this hospital was built during the administration of Governor Abdullahi Wase, there have never been a permanent medical doctor. In the past years, NYSC Members were sent as a doctors, but nowadays inexperienced temporary doctors who also need training and more knowledge on the profession are the ones rendering medical services to the people.
“If a patient goes for medical check up, he will meet the temporary doctors who will prescribe and sell medicine to the patient at their desired price”
Similarly, Muhammad Auwal added that despite the lack of physicians, skilled workers and equipment, this did not prevent the government from registering the hospital with health insurance scheme even though there is no proper treatment being administered in the hospital.
“The hospital is one of the hospitals registered by the Kano state government as a place where workers and their families can go for health check-up. Unfortunately, there is no medicine to to administer to patients whenever the need arises for a person or his family.”
As at the time of compiling this report, Labarai24 tried to contact the Executive Secretary, Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Dr. Tijjani Hussaini but couldn’t reach to him.
However, a source from the Board told the newspaper that the Kano state government has recruited 25 Physicians to send them to hospitals under its control.
Credit: Labarai24
