The Kwara State Government has awarded contracts worth over N5 billion to upgrade 70 Primary Health Care facilities across the state’s three senatorial districts.
The move is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the healthcare system and improve service delivery at the grassroots level.
Speaking during the contract signing in Ilorin, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Professor Nusirat Elelu stated that the intervention would cover infrastructural renovations, solar power installation, provision of staff quarters, potable water supply, and ultra-modern medical equipment.
The project is backed by the World Bank-supported Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Progress and Transforming Services.
She emphasized that the upgrade would enhance the capacity of health centres to deliver quality services, making them fit for purpose as the first point of contact in the national health system.
Professor Elelu urged all contractors to adhere to high-quality standards, warning that any lapses would lead to immediate termination of contracts. She assured that the projects would be closely monitored to ensure judicious use of resources.
Highlighting past achievements, she noted that 53 health centres had already been renovated, while work on nine others was ongoing. More facilities are expected to be upgraded in the near future.
“This is a further demonstration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s commitment to strengthening the primary healthcare system,” she stated.
IMPACT Programme Manager, Dr. Michael Oguntoye, stressed that the projects must be completed within three months, warning against unnecessary delays.
He explained that the initiative is one of several interventions under the IMPACT project aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality rates. The primary beneficiaries include women and children under five, but the overall goal is to improve healthcare access for all residents.
Dr. Oguntoye also highlighted that the IMPACT initiative would strengthen national monitoring and evaluation systems while enhancing service quality and increasing demand for primary healthcare services.
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