Source: Ekemini Simon

PHC Emere-Oke

The investigative report, published on Thursday, revealed how poorly staffed and ill-equipped PHCs have forced women to deliver at home or in the hands of unskilled birth attendants, resulting in preventable deaths of mothers and babies

Barely 48 hours after a PREMIUM TIMES report exposed the rot in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across Akwa Ibom, the State government has declared a state of emergency on the health sector.

The investigative report, published on Thursday, revealed how poorly staffed and ill-equipped PHCs have forced women to deliver at home or in the hands of unskilled birth attendants, resulting in preventable deaths of mothers and babies.

The report also showed that many “model PHCs” commissioned by the government were either locked up, without staff, or unable to provide night services.

Across Akwa Ibom’s 468 PHCs, there are only about 2,164 health workers —less than five per facility. This is far below the 24 staff minimum recommended by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

Maternal healthcare indicators also reflect the decay: only 38.6 per cent of live births in the state take place in health facilities, according to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2023-2024.

The report further shows that Akwa Ibom has one of the lowest percentages of births delivered by a skilled provider (51.5 per cent) in Nigeria, the lowest across the southern and North-central states except Niger.

As a result, Akwa Ibom State now has a prevalence of maternal mortality rate of 774 per 100,000 lives, according to District Health Information Software 2.

Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES found that while billions of naira were budgeted for PHC construction and rehabilitation, many facilities remain non-functional.

In May, Governor Umo Eno also gifted 13 SUVs worth about ₦1.3 billion to federal lawmakers, a sum that health experts say could pay PHC staff salaries for several years.

Swift action

At the end of the State Executive Council meeting on Friday, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah announced that Governor Eno had declared a state of emergency on the health sector.

In his published excerpts from the meeting, Mr Umanah said the governor made the decision after a comprehensive review of the State’s healthcare development roadmap.

He said the declaration will accelerate reforms and ensure efficient health services across the state.

Mr Umanah said key directives under the emergency review include further upgrade of medical facilities across the State, reopening of the recruitment portal and engagement of 2,000 healthcare workers, with the Voters Identification Number (VIN) requirement waived for applicants.

“Council further directed the upgrading of health training institutions, enrollment and training of health professionals, as well as the engagement of retired but willing medical personnel on contract basis”, the Commissioner said.

Mr Umanah added that a 12-member inter-ministerial steering committee, chaired by the Commissioner for Health, Ekem Emmanuel, has been set up to oversee implementation.

The PREMIUM TIMES report had earlier noted that the government’s previous plan to recruit only 1,000 healthcare personnel was grossly inadequate to tackle the high maternal and child mortality burden in the state.