By Rayyanu Bala.                               Only, yesterday, the executive secretary of NAPHDA Dr Usman Iskilu Saleh for the first time in the existence of the agency’s chief executive, perticipated in the state executive council meeting, the highest decision making body in the state, where he addressed both the governor, deputy, members of council as well as the secretary to the state government on Challenges facing Primary Health Care System In Nasarawa State, leadership Challenge as well as Abuja 2009 commitment. Dr Saleh participation at the state executive council demonstrates the commitments of the state governor Engr. Abdullahi sule towards getting at the lasting solutions to the challenges of Primary Health Care System in Nasarawa State. Of- course, Dr Saleh without fear of being immodest, is one chief executive officer of state government agencies who is at home with his task as well as the enormity of the challenges facing his agency.
The primary health care system in Nasarawa State, indeed, faces numerous challenges that hinder its effectiveness in delivering quality health services to the populace. One of the major issues is the shortage of health workers. Many Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) lack sufficient staff, leading to overwhelmed personnel and inadequate service delivery, particularly during peak periods like immunization and antenatal sessions. This understaffing is exacerbated by the state’s growing population, which increases demand for healthcare services.Undoubtendly, Understaffing significantly impacts the quality of healthcare in Nasarawa State leading to overwhelmed healthcare workers, which result in reduced attention to patients and longer waiting times. The shortage of staff hinders the ability of healthcare facilities to provide timely and effective care, contributing to a lower quality of service delivery. This understaffing in PHCs leads to burnout among remaining staff, potentially affecting their performance and further compromising patient care.

Another significant challenge worth mentioning here is
financial constraints. The cost of healthcare services is often unaffordable for rural dwellers, who are among the most vulnerable groups. This financial barrier limits access to essential health services, leading to untreated preventable diseases and high mortality rates among children and adults. Furthermore, inadequate infrastructure and resources, such as basic drugs and medical supplies, are common issues in PHCs across the state.

There is also the issue of poor governance. Although, Dr. Saleh is at the top of the situation. Since his arrival at the agency he has been up and going trying to mitigate poor governance which afflicted the agency before his coming. Hardly you can find a day were Dr. Saleh is seating idle without attending to one issue or the other or without discharging one function or the other. Again as a matter of facts, environmental and socio-economic factors like poor sanitation, unsafe water, and superstitious beliefs complicate health outcomes in rural areas.

To address these challenges, there is a need for holistic policy reforms that prioritize rural healthcare through continuous social enlightenment programs. On the whole, enhancing infrastructure and staffing, along with improving governance and resource allocation, are crucial steps towards strengthening the primary healthcare system in Nasarawa. State.