No fewer than 500 Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) are not functioning in Zamfara due to insecurity, the executive secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Board, Husaini Anka, said.

Mr Anka disclosed this in Gusau on Saturday at the 2023 Health Summit organised by the state’s Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) chapter.

The event has a theme: “Challenges of Healthcare Services Delivery in a Security Compromised Environment”.

Speaking at the roundtable panel during the event, Mr Anka lamented how lingering security challenges had hindered primary healthcare services delivery across the state.

“Out of over 700 PHCs in this state, only about 200 are accessible while the remaining 500 are not functioning due to insecurity.

“As the newly appointed executive secretary to the board, I am going to collaborate with traditional rulers, religious and community leaders, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to promote primary healthcare delivery in the state,” he stated.

In his remarks, a former chairman of the association, Manir Bature, who led the panel discussion, said it was to interact with the key stakeholders in the health sector and discuss various challenges.

Also, the executive secretary of the State’s Hospital Services Management Board, Mustafa Marafa, lamented that some secondary health facilities in the state could not operate effectively due to security challenges.

“We are going to collaborate with local authorities to develop strategies to ensure that good policies and programmes to be implemented,” Mr Marafa vowed.

Earlier, the state NMA chairman, Sanusi Bello, said, “We are going to continue collaborating with the state government under Governor Dauda Lawal to bring positive changes in the health sector of the state.”

(NAN)