Jigawa community threatens to boycott immunisation over PHC’s neglect

Jikas community of Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State has threatened to boycott the next round of immunisation if authorities refuse to address alleged neglect of the community’s Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) and theft allegation against one of the PHC’s staff.

Speaking on behalf of the community members, Malam Dahiru Jikas, who is also the patron of Jikas Ina Mafita Development Association, said that they had explored many possibilities in their efforts to redress the problems of the healthcare centre but to no avail.

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He explained that even though the PHC had been on its last legs, the healthcare workers assigned to the facility had remained committed and resolved never to abandon the centre despite its decay.

However, it was alleged that one of the officials at the centre carted away two freezers, a microscope and a ceiling fan.

Jikas said the Local Hospital Committee (LHC) with other relevant authorities had reported the theft to the state Primary Healthcare Development Board, the local government council authorities and other relevant security agencies within the council but nothing seemed to have been done to investigate the allegation.

He further stated that preliminary investigation by the LHC revealed that all fingers were pointing at a staff of the facility.

“Instead of authorities to help us recover our items, they are busy trying to cover up for the accused person. As a law-abiding community, we have followed all the legal avenues in seeking redress to the issue but without success. That is why we met and decided that we will all boycott the next round of immunisation and the subsequent ones if the authorities concerned fail to take action,” the community leader said.

Sources at the PHC also told Kano Chronicles that they learnt that the suspected staff member duplicated  keys to gain access to the facility and carted away the missing items.

The sources further revealed that when interrogated, the key duplicator attested to duplicating the key for the suspect.

Similarly, one of the community members, Malam Haruna Usman, said what had been infuriating the community was how authorities concerned were making efforts to cover up for the suspect.

“We did a lot to get this facility through a constituency project over 10 years ago. Though the facility was left unattended for years, we kept managing it the way it is.

“Now that it is the rainy season, the facility is leaking almost everywhere. Do you think we will allow unpatriotic elements to completely destroy the facility? No! We won’t allow that to happen,” he said.

When contacted, Gwaram local government PHC manager, Malam Aminu Abubakar, stated that he was not in a position to comment on the issue as he was told that the case was before the court of law.