The Kwasauri community in Danbatta Local Government of Kano State has appealed for the urgent reconstruction of its collapsed healthcare facility, as patients now receive treatment in a classroom and under a tree.
An investigation by reporters revealed that the non-functional health facility has exposed residents to greater difficulties, forcing them to travel to Danbatta town, the local government headquarters, during emergencies.
The situation continues to worsen the already high burden of child and maternal mortality in the community.
The Chairman of the Kwasauri Youth Development Association, Sulaiman Magaji, said the community’s healthcare facility once provided essential services before it was destroyed by a rainstorm in 2015.
He explained that although part of the building remained after the incident, the rest of the structure later collapsed, leaving the community without a functional health facility.
“Since then, whenever there is an emergency, especially cases involving pregnant women, we experience serious challenges.
“During school hours, we receive healthcare services under a tree, while after school hours we use a classroom at the primary school in the community.
“We have to leave the village and travel to other nearby health centres or Danbatta General Hospital for cases requiring admission,” he said.
Magaji added that the poor condition of the road linking the community to Danbatta has worsened the situation and created more hardship for patients, particularly pregnant women in labour.
He recalled that in 2016, a woman identified as Jummai reportedly delivered while being transported to Danbatta General Hospital; both the mother and newborn later died.
Magaji also cited the case of another woman, Hauwa’u Yushau, who, according to him, died alongside her baby while being taken to hospital for delivery.
He further said that in 2024, another woman reportedly developed hearing impairment during childbirth, which he attributed to the difficulties of accessing healthcare in the community.
Magaji stated that the community had raised the issue with the local government authorities, the State House of Assembly, and the member representing Danbatta/Makoda Federal Constituency.
According to him, despite promises to rebuild the facility, their request is yet to be fulfilled.
The Village Head of Kwasauri Cikin Gari, Malam Shafiu, described the situation as serious, saying the community had lost several people while seeking healthcare services.
“From last year to date, we have lost about 30 people, including women and children.
“We cannot even count the number of people who have died as a result of the condition of the health facility and the bad road,” Shafiu said.
Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the situation had become particularly worrying for pregnant women because they had no functional facility for antenatal care or safe delivery.
The resident said some pregnant women were sometimes transported to Danbatta General Hospital in cattle-drawn carts along about 25 kilometres of bad road.
He therefore appealed to governments at all levels to reconstruct and equip the health facility so that residents can access healthcare services with ease.
When contacted, the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board said it was making efforts to fix the facility.
Its Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr Aliyu Jinjiri, said the facility is one of two primary healthcare centres located in Sansan ward of Danbatta LGA.
The first facility, he said, is at Dangurmi, which is the ward’s apex Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) PHC and the ward referral facility. It was recently upgraded through the IMPACT project intervention.
“This one (Kwasauri healthcare centre) is a non-PHC located in the same ward.
“After receiving the previous report, and with the DG’s approval, the facility’s level of damage has been quantified and a formal request for intervention has already been submitted.
“It is presently receiving the attention of the Kano State Health Trust Fund (KHETFUND).
“We are hopeful that as soon as approval is granted by the governor, as provided in the KHETFUND’s operational guidelines, the facility will be renovated,” he assured.
