In a sweeping move to fortify grassroots healthcare delivery, the Katsina State Government on Saturday inducted 1,020 newly recruited frontline health workers to boost services across Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state’s 34 local government areas.
The colourful ceremony, presided over by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, marks one of the largest single intakes of health personnel in the state’s recent history — a decisive step toward strengthening the backbone of Katsina’s health system.
“Primary Healthcare is the foundation of a strong health system,” the Governor declared. “When our PHCs function effectively, our mothers are safer, our children are healthier, and our communities are more productive.”
The mass induction follows months of strategic upgrades across 268 Primary Healthcare Centres, now equipped with modern medical tools, improved water supply systems, better sanitation facilities, and tricycle ambulances to enhance emergency response at the ward level.
Government sources confirmed that the ultimate target is ambitious yet clear: ensuring that all 361 political wards in Katsina State operate fully functional Level 2 PHCs capable of delivering essential maternal, child, and emergency health services.
Health sector observers say the development signals a shift from rhetoric to measurable impact, particularly in rural communities where access to healthcare has long posed a challenge.
In what officials described as a transparent and merit-based recruitment process, over 75 percent of the newly inducted personnel were formerly casual health workers who had served for years in temporary capacities.
“This was not about political patronage,” the Governor emphasised. “It was about rewarding loyalty, dedication, and proven service.”
For many of the inductees, the ceremony was more than a formal event — it was the culmination of years of commitment under challenging conditions.
Beyond recruitment, the state government has reportedly released over N3 billion for targeted nutrition programmes aimed at women, children, and vulnerable populations.
The intervention is expected to tackle malnutrition and improve maternal and child health indices across the state.
At the secondary healthcare level, additional professional recruitment has been approved to reinforce hospitals and referral centres, ensuring a seamless continuum of care from primary to specialised services.
Public health experts have lauded the multi-layered approach, noting that strengthening PHCs while investing in nutrition and secondary care creates a sustainable health ecosystem.
Addressing the new health workers, Governor Radda charged them to uphold discipline, compassion, and professionalism as ambassadors of the state’s healthcare reform drive.
“You are now the face of healthcare in your communities,” he said. “Government will continue to support your training and welfare.”
The administration’s renewed focus on primary healthcare underscores its broader development blueprint, recognising that a healthy population is central to economic productivity and social stability.
As the 1,020 frontline workers take up their assignments across Katsina’s wards, expectations are high that the strengthened PHC network will reduce preventable deaths, expand access to quality care, and usher in a new era of responsive healthcare delivery.
For Katsina State, the message is clear: the journey to lasting development begins with healthy communities — and that journey has just gained 1,020 new foot soldiers.
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