Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State has received five awards from various health sector unions in the state for revitalizing healthcare delivery and improving the welfare of health workers.
The awards were presented to the governor on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board headquarters in Kaduna.
The governor also used the occasion to flag off the distribution of medical equipment and ambulances to primary healthcare facilities across the state.
Sani received separate awards from the Kaduna State Council of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union; the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives; and the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, Kaduna Chapter.
He also received awards from the Kaduna State chapters of the National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria and the Association of Medical Laboratory Technicians and Assistants of Nigeria.
Speaking at the ceremony, the governor highlighted key achievements of his administration in the health sector over the past two and a half years.
He said the government had revitalized and upgraded 255 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to Level-2 status, the highest number recorded by any state in the country, to expand access to quality healthcare in underserved communities.
According to him, the administration also established 23 PHC Centres of Excellence—one in each local government area—to provide advanced care, support referrals and serve as hubs for data generation.
“We have established 120 neonatal corners across the state, significantly reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality, especially in rural and underserved areas,” Sani said.
He added that the government procured three oxygen plants with a robust distribution system to supply health facilities across the state, aimed at reducing deaths from emergency cases.
The governor further disclosed that the Kaduna State Drugs and Health Supplies Management Agency (KADHSMA) warehouse had been upgraded to a pharma-grade facility with a 1,600-square-metre storage capacity to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines.
Sani said the state had commenced payment of the full 2024 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), and had also cleared all promotion backlogs for health workers.
He explained that the distribution of modern medical equipment and ambulances to PHCs was intended to improve service delivery, emergency response and referral systems across the state.
According to him, the exercise marked the second tranche of state-of-the-art medical equipment distributed to PHCs since his administration assumed office.
“We strongly believe that no mother should lose her life while giving birth, and no child should die from preventable causes because essential equipment or timely transportation is unavailable,” the governor said.
