The Health Commissioner of Benue State, Dr. Ortese Yanmar, is very worried about how bad the Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs) are in Benue State.
Dr. Yanmar shared this concern when talking to reporters at his office in Makurdi on Friday.
He said that he had visited several PHCs in the state and was shocked by how poorly they were maintained.
Dr. Yanmar explained that the bad condition of these health centers was inherited from the previous government. The new government is now trying to fix it.
He mentioned that many pregnant women and new mothers, who these centers are meant to help, avoid them because they don’t have the needed facilities.
“The main goal of PHCs is to lower the number of children who die. Each Level 2 PHC should have at least six to eight caregivers, a well-equipped consultation room, homes for staff, immunization centers, good lighting, and water. Sadly, none of these are available in any PHC in Benue,” he said.
“When we saw how bad things were from the past, we started to take action to fix them.”
Dr. Yanmar also mentioned that money is being sent to PHCs through the Basic Health Care Foundation Fund.
“This government has been in charge for just one year. By next year, you will see big improvements. I invite you to come and see it for yourself,” he said.