The Executive Secretary, Katsina State Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Shamsudeen Yahaya, on Tuesday, disclosed that no fewer than 69 primary health care facilities located in various parts of the state have been closed down due to security challenges in the communities where they are located.
He said the affected facilities located in Jibia, Safana, Batsari, Faskari, Sabuwa and other communities had security challenges.
Yahaya disclosed this in Katsina during an interview with journalists.
He added that two of such recently-renovated facilities were burnt down by terrorists in Batsari Local Government Area.
He said some staff members of the facilities located in hard-to-reach communities were, on a weekly basis, also requesting to be transferred to other areas considered to be safer.
He said, “Some of the facilities, especially in those compromised local government areas, have a challenge accessing them. For example, we renovated two facilities in Batsari but they were attacked and burnt by bandits.
“Right now, about 69 facilities are closed down in Jibia, Safana, Batsari, Sabuwa, Faskari and other LGAs due to insecurity and we had some of our staff members that were kidnapped but later on they were released.
“Another challenge is that almost every week, we receive requests from our staff members, especially females, that they should be moved from those areas to either Katsina, Batagarawa, or Kaita. These are the issues that we are facing.”
