O R O D A T A

The recent report that 97% of assessed Primary Healthcare Centres across 16 states failed to meet the national staffing standard is not merely a statistic; it can be extrapolated nationwide, where about 80% of PHCs are not functioning. It reflects a serious risk. Health is the primary measure of development in any nation and forms the foundation of healthcare. A country cannot build a healthy, productive population if its Primary Healthcare Centres lack the necessary staff to care for the people. Behind every understaffed PHC is a pregnant woman who might not receive timely care, and a child who could die from a preventable illness. That is why Nigeria is currently classified among the most challenging and poorest places to be born and to live. Healthcare should not be a privilege reserved for the wealthy. It is a basic responsibility of government. Progress is not best measured by flyovers, new bus stops, or airports that are rarely used. Instead, we should measure it by the number of lives saved, the number of operational health centres, the availability of qualified health workers, and the quality of care provided to ordinary Nigerians. We cannot create a New Nigeria while allowing our people to die from issues that a functioning Primary Healthcare system should prevent. Our priorities must be clear: invest in our people, strengthen Primary Healthcare, recruit and retain essential health workers, and ensure every Nigerian, regardless of location or income, has access to quality, affordable healthcare. A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO