Manny Ita –
A new report from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has revealed that more than 3,700 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory are currently non-operational, raising fresh concerns over access to basic healthcare services in rural communities.
The report highlights widespread challenges affecting primary healthcare delivery, including infrastructure decay, staffing shortages, inadequate funding, and poor maintenance of facilities, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach areas across Nigeria.
According to the findings, many of the affected PHCs are either partially functional or completely abandoned, leaving millions of residents without reliable access to essential medical services such as maternal care, immunisation, emergency treatment, and primary consultations.
Health officials warn that the situation poses significant risks to public health outcomes, especially in rural populations where PHCs serve as the first point of contact within the healthcare system.
The report has sparked renewed calls for urgent government intervention, with stakeholders urging federal and state authorities to prioritise rehabilitation, improved funding, recruitment of healthcare workers, and stronger monitoring systems for primary healthcare infrastructure.
Public health experts say addressing the crisis is critical to achieving universal health coverage goals and reducing preventable deaths, particularly among women and children in rural communities.
