ED, STATE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY ATTRIBUTES GROWTH OF THE AGENCY TO THE PRAGMATIC LEADERSHIP OF ALHAJI AHMED USMAN ODODO

The Kogi State Primary Health care Development Agency recently had a boost in its healthcare readiness, climbing from the 18th position in 2023 and 2024 to the 10th position in the 2025 SBM Health Preparedness Index (HPI).

The SBM Health Preparedness Index assesses the capacity of Nigeria’s 36 states to effectively respond to health emergencies and deliver quality healthcare services. 

The annual report draws data from credible national and international institutions including the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), World Health Organisation (WHO), The Lancet, Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), BudgIT, The Cable, the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Radboud University, and the Global Data Lab.

It evaluates key indicators such as budgetary commitments, human resource capacity, and health outcomes, using the most recent available data.

Although no state in the country met the 30 percent national target for health preparedness, Kogi’s advancement represents a significant step forward in its healthcare reform journey especially with the Recent innovations in Kogi State’s primary health care by revitalizing 80 existing primary health centers across the state.

These improvement reflects the Ododo administration’s sustained investments in healthcare infrastructure, personnel development, and community-based health delivery and plans to build new ones, installing solar power in facilities, distributing solar-powered refrigerators for vaccine storage, and establishing a national unified Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform. 

Other initiatives involve incentivizing local governments through awards for performance and creating partnerships, such as one with medical students who are bonded to serve the state for five years after graduation. 

Speaking on the development, the Executive Director, Kogi State Primary Health care Development Agency, Dr. Muazu Omeiza Musa, described the development as “a testament to the pragmatic leadership of the Governor of the state, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo and the entire staff of the state Primary Health care Agency.”

The Executive Director noted that the state Government will remain committed to make sure the health system is strengthend to achieve global health coverage that will surpass national benchmarks in the years to come”.

Other areas of breakthrough include, Solar direct drive (SDD) refrigerators distributed to PHC facilities to improve vaccine storage, Facilities equipped with modern medical tools, and new PHCs with labor rooms and wards for women, men, and children. 

Dr. Muazu Omeiza Musa stressed that there are plans to train medical personnel and provide them with modern tools to improve service delivery.

He said a bond has been established with medical students, that will receive monthly stipends and commit to serving the state for at least five years after graduation. 

Joseph Adama 

Information Officer

KSPHCDA