The primary health centre in the Pankshin area of Plateau has appealed to the local council for additional land to expand its facilities and access interventions from development partners.

The officer-in-charge of the centre, Esther Shiolbial, made the appeal in an interview on Monday.

Ms Shiolbial said the centre was operating in a congested environment, with limited space hindering the construction of additional facilities and limiting opportunities to benefit from interventions by development partners.

According to her, the health centre is surrounded by residential buildings, leaving little space for expansion.

“You can go round the facility and see for yourself; a health facility should not be this congested, otherwise, people will end up contracting diseases instead of treating them. The facility is already surrounded by residential buildings; its little space has restricted a lot of development,” she said.

The OIC said several development partners had shown interest in constructing staff quarters and additional wards at the facility but could not proceed due to inadequate space.

Ms Shiolbial also said the facility needed more midwives and pharmacists to complement its existing workforce.

She, however, commended the state and local governments for equipping the facility with adequate staff and medication.

“This facility has a good number of staff and adequate medications; all thanks to the government. That shows how committed this administration is to providing quality healthcare services to its people,” she said.

Reacting, the secretary of the Pankshin council, Ishaya Dilkit, confirmed that the council had received the request and was taking steps to determine how it could assist.

Mr Dilkit said he met with Ms Shiolbial, a traditional ruler, and other stakeholders after they failed to meet with the council chairman, who was not available. He said the delegation explained that the inadequate space at the health centre was preventing it from accessing some development interventions and appealed to the council for assistance.

“Those who came told us how they could not access some interventions because of inadequate space, and they wanted the local government to assist,” he said.

Mr Dilkit, however, said that he had documented the request and presented it to the executive chairman of the council, who directed that the delegation should submit a formal proposal. He said the chairman subsequently directed the directors of works and land to ascertain whether the council had property that could be used to expand the facility.

He explained that such a project would require further processes, including funding and necessary approvals, before the expansion could commence.

“However, this is not a project you can execute in a day; it requires money. A budget needs to be raised with the approval of the state house of assembly and the commissioner of health. I can assure you that we are on the pipeline, but not yet through with the processes,” he said.

Regarding the shortage of midwives and pharmacists, Mr Dilkit said the council was aware of the challenge and had made temporary arrangements, pending approval from the state government for recruitment.

The secretary expressed optimism that the process would eventually lead to the provision of the additional space needed to expand the health centre. 

(NAN)