Abuja: Residents of Pigba Sama, an Abuja community, have appealed to the government to urgently improve healthcare services at their Primary Health Care (PHC) facility. They cited high treatment costs, shortage of qualified personnel, poor infrastructure, and lack of essential equipment as part of their challenges.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the residents made the appeal at a community health awareness outreach organized by Nigeria Health Watch to commemorate the 2025 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day with the theme ‘Unaffordable Health Costs? We’re Sick of it.’ The theme draws attention to the burden of out-of-pocket expenses on households and calls on governments to strengthen financial protection in health systems.
Speaking on their experiences, Mrs. Peace Ebenezer mentioned the pressure on families, especially mothers seeking maternal and child healthcare, due to the PHC’s challenges. She explained that delivery costs depend on several items mothers must provide. Another resident, Mrs. Rita Justin, shared her distress over a case involving a mother of twins who did not receive timely care, highlighting the lack of equipment and staff availability, particularly during late hours.
For other residents, the challenge is a lack of awareness of health insurance. Mrs. Jennifer Okechukwu expressed her desire to register for health insurance to reduce medical bills, especially for people with limited financial means. The Officer in Charge of the PHC, Mr. Isa Tanko, a Community Health Officer, stated that the facility is overstretched and severely understaffed, with only three government staff out of 25 workers, the rest being volunteers.
Tanko added that the facility struggles with limited drugs, inadequate equipment, and dilapidated infrastructure. He disclosed that the PHC does not yet provide services to health insurance patients but had recently been visited by officials of the FCT Health Insurance Scheme. The program is expected to start by January, which would make treatment free and increase access to services.
The Village Head, Chief Zakwoyi Dogo, noted that the outreach exposed many residents to new information about government programs. He highlighted chronic problems facing the PHC, including lack of government takeover, reliance on volunteer workers, and irregular supply of essential drugs. He appealed to the government to take full responsibility for the hospital, send more staff, and supply necessary drugs at the local level.
Ms. Asari Ndem, Senior Communications Manager at Nigeria Health Watch, explained that Pigba Sama was chosen for the outreach because it represents communities facing structural barriers to accessing quality healthcare. She emphasized the high cost of healthcare as a major concern and stated that the organization’s goal is to equip residents with information to demand improved healthcare services.