The Katsina State government has expended N13.4 billion on upgrading 146 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to boost the delivery of healthcare services.

The state deputy governor, Faruk Lawal-Jobe, disclosed this at a monthly press briefing on Tuesday in Katsina.

He said at least four PHCs were upgraded in each of the state’s 34 local government areas.

Mr Lawal-Jobe said the government also approved the renovation and upgrading of comprehensive health centres in Rimi, Faskari, Dandume, and Zango LGAs, which cost about N3.7 billion.

According to him, the government had renovated and upgraded the General Hospital Kafur and upgraded structures at the General Hospital, Kankia, at about N739.5 million.

Mr Lawal-Jobe said the State Primary Healthcare Agency spent N1.9 billion to carry out its functions and provide effective healthcare services to the people.

“These activities included, among others, the construction of a dry store, purchasing and distributing laptop computers to LGA monitoring and evaluation officers.

”This was to bolster data management to enhance evidence-based decision-making in healthcare delivery,” the deputy governor said.

Mr Lawal-Jobe said the government also procured and distributed drugs to contain the diphtheria outbreak as part of non-polio supplementary immunisation activities, where 2,216,573 eligible children were vaccinated.

The deputy governor added that during the period under review, the government distributed 360 motorcycles to ward focal persons for routine immunisation and related exercises.

“So far, a total of 438 personnel were engaged for the success of the exercise,” he said.

Furthermore, he said the government had upgraded and converted the COVID-19 isolation centre into a psychiatric hospital at N65.8 million.

Similarly, Mr Lawal-Jobe revealed that the former psychiatric hospital building was upgraded and converted to the permanent site of the College of Nursing and Midwifery at the cost of N104.4 million.

He said the government also sustained the free Medicare Policy for free delivery, antenatal, dialysis, caesarean sessions, and other services.

(NAN)