Journalists have identified staffing shortages, inadequate training, faulty equipment and incomplete renovations as challenges undermining the revitalisation of primary healthcare in Nigeria.
They urged federal and state governments to ensure that upgraded facilities provide accessible, effective and affordable healthcare, particularly for rural communities and vulnerable groups.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the journalists made the call during a monthly X Spaces session hosted by Orodata Science on Tuesday in Lagos.
The session focused on the topic: “3,000 PHCs Reportedly Upgraded: Have You Felt It in Your Area?”
Ugonma Ogbu, a development journalist at African Angle, described the initiative as commendable but said its implementation remained incomplete.
Ogbu, who had covered healthcare projects in Abia, Edo, Ebonyi and Enugu states, said the programme aimed to improve service delivery and expand access in underserved communities.
She said field observations showed that some rural communities now had healthcare facilities where access had previously been limited, making services more accessible.
Ogbu cited Abia as an example of a state that had introduced eye-care services in some facilities.
However, she said installing medical equipment did not always improve service delivery because of power shortages, operating costs and a lack of personnel.
She explained that some facilities had pregnancy-scanning machines but lacked trained staff to operate them, forcing pregnant women to seek the services elsewhere.
Ogbu urged governments to move beyond constructing and equipping facilities and provide adequate training and sufficient healthcare personnel.
She said building, equipping and training were essential components of the revitalisation process, adding that neglecting any of them could undermine its effectiveness.
She also urged citizens and the media to monitor implementation and demand accountability from the relevant authorities.
Ogbu identified staff shortages and a lack of specialised personnel as challenges affecting the effective use of oxygen equipment and pregnancy-scanning machines.
She acknowledged government interventions for pregnant women, children under five and persons with disabilities but questioned their effectiveness at the grassroots level.
Ogbu rated support for vulnerable groups four out of 10, citing implementation gaps that continued to limit access to intended benefits.
She urged citizens to document missing amenities, faulty equipment and inadequate services, and to raise concerns at community meetings and during engagements with government officials.
She also advised communities to use existing government programmes and draw attention to facilities excluded from the revitalisation initiative.
Ogbu acknowledged healthcare workers, including volunteers, who had tried to bridge service gaps through personal initiatives.
She said some facilities sold medicines because government drug supplies or revolving-fund arrangements were unavailable. She stressed the need for proper oversight to prevent possible abuses.
She called for policies to address medicine shortages while ensuring safe and affordable access to essential drugs.
Jeremiah Archibong, an investigative journalist at the Investigator Journalism Development and Innovation Centre, said accountability should begin with the officers responsible for managing individual facilities.
Archibong said facility heads should account for faulty equipment, determine whether breakdowns resulted from negligence or mechanical problems, and report maintenance needs to the relevant authorities.
However, he said abandoned renovation projects were the responsibility of the government ministries, departments and agencies that awarded the contracts.
Archibong cited Atanunuom in Cross River as a community where renovation work at a healthcare facility had reportedly stopped months earlier.
He described the difficult journey to the community—which involved road travel, trekking and crossing water—as an additional challenge for residents seeking healthcare.
He questioned why the contractor had abandoned the project and urged the responsible ministry to explain the circumstances.
Archibong also called for stronger public oversight of government spending, urging citizens to use the Freedom of Information Act and scrutinise government websites and budget documents.
He criticised budget implementation reports for providing broad expenditure figures without sufficient project-level detail to enable citizens to verify completed projects.
He said public participation in budget consultations should involve substantive discussions about projects and expenditure, rather than speeches alone.
Archibong added that examining publicly available documents could help citizens understand how government projects were selected and implemented.
He cited Cross River as an example, explaining that information obtained from government documents had helped him understand decisions concerning school renovation projects under an intervention programme.
He urged citizens to assess healthcare facilities by examining available services, equipment and staff commitment rather than relying on appearances.
Archibong said some facilities appeared renovated from the outside but still had leaking roofs, broken doors and damaged furniture.
He cited a healthcare centre serving conflict-affected communities in Cross River, where staff reportedly continued providing services from a classroom donated by the community.
“Despite the limited space, the facility had a functioning laboratory, pharmacy and six beds, illustrating the contribution of committed personnel to service delivery,” he said.
He urged governments to ensure renovation projects addressed structural defects and other essential needs instead of merely repainting buildings.
Archibong also called for better planning in land allocation and public resource management to support healthcare facilities and future expansion.
The journalists said sustained monitoring, transparent reporting, community participation and effective government oversight were necessary to ensure that PHC revitalisation delivered tangible improvements to Nigerians
