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BREAKING: Kaduna state’s health sector still in crisis despite government’s funding claims
At the 2025 National Health Dialogue, the Kaduna State government highlighted what it described as major strides in rebuilding the state’s health sector, citing improvements in primary healthcare, expanded workforce capacity, and strengthened emergency response systems.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
Despite these claims, PREMIUM TIMES reports published between 2023 and 2025 show persistent gaps across the state’s health system, raising questions about whether the government’s reforms are translating into real improvements for communities.
Speaking during a fireside conversation at the dialogue, the State’s Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, highlighted the administration’s commitment to strengthening the health sector, noting that health has consistently received 15 per cent of the state’s total budget since the current administration assumed office in 2023.
Ms Balarabe said the sustained allocation reflects the government’s intention to expand access to quality care while improving outcomes, particularly for mothers and children.
She emphasised the importance of involving young people in governance, arguing that the future of leadership and development depends on the opportunities they are provided today.
According to her, Kaduna is adopting a multi-sectoral approach to health by linking education, nutrition and healthcare to build resilience across communities.
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She added that the state is also improving emergency care systems and upgrading health facilities to deliver more reliable services.
Health improvement
Speaking on infrastructure development, Ms Balarabe said Kaduna State has been strengthening its primary healthcare system by upgrading facilities, increasing its ambulance fleet and implementing digital monitoring and tracking systems.
She explained that the state has recruited and trained 1,800 healthcare workers and forged partnerships with organisations, including the Gates Foundation, to expand financing and improve service delivery in rural communities.
Regarding maternal and newborn health, she acknowledged that Kaduna has yet to achieve a breakthrough in reducing maternal mortality. However, she noted progress in neonatal outcomes and said the government is focused on improving emergency support for pregnant women.
“We cannot continue to have children while mothers are lost,” she said, emphasising the government’s efforts to build a stronger referral system and expand access to high-quality maternal and child health services.
What the reports say
Despite the assurances presented by Kaduna State at the dialogue, PREMIUM TIMES reports published between 2023 and 2025 reveal persistent weaknesses across the state’s health sector.
In March 2025, the Kaduna government approved the recruitment of 1,800 health workers and promised upgrades across 255 primary healthcare centres, insisting that the reforms would strengthen rural service delivery.
Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES’ reporting shows that key challenges remain unaddressed.
A July 2025 investigative report revealed that a preventable diphtheria outbreak killed children in several Kaduna communities due to failures in routine immunisation and poor cold-chain maintenance.
Many PHCs lacked essential vaccines, admission capacity and follow-up mechanisms, conditions that contradict the state’s claims of a strengthened PHC system.
Another July 2025 report documented a diarrhoea outbreak affecting 81 students at a secondary school in Kaduna. Although the Ministry of Health intervened, the incident highlighted gaps in preventive care, water safety and surveillance systems, raising additional concerns about the effectiveness of PHCs in the state.
Workforce instability has also been a recurring problem. In June 2025, resident doctors protested the dismissal of colleagues at a major state hospital, describing the decision as unfair and indicative of broader labour tensions.
The doctors cited inadequate training oversight and staffing shortages, which contradict government claims of improved workforce capacity.
By August 2025, resident doctors issued a 12-day ultimatum to the government, demanding the implementation of the 2024 salary adjustment, payment of arrears and better working conditions.
They warned that sustained burnout and the migration of clinicians to other states and federal institutions were crippling service delivery.
Taken together, the reports suggest that despite increased budgetary allocation and policy commitments, Kaduna’s health system continues to face significant gaps in immunisation, disease surveillance, emergency response and workforce stability.
These inconsistencies raise questions about whether the reforms outlined by the state are translating into meaningful improvements for communities.
About National Health Dialogue
The 2025 National Health Dialogue, organised by PREMIUM TIMES in partnership with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), was supported by the Gates Foundation.
The dialogue was themed “Evidence, Innovation, and Financing for a Healthier Nigeria.”
The dialogue brought together policymakers, health experts, civil society groups and innovators for a full-day discussion on the state of Nigeria’s health sector.
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The Kano State Government has announced that the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, will lead this year’s Eid-el-Fitr Durbar, even as it unveiled strict guidelines to prevent a breakdown of law and order during the celebrations.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
The government said the decision, approved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, followed credible intelligence reports indicating attempts by some individuals to create unrest during the Sallah period.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, the government said it remained committed to preserving Kano’s cultural heritage but would prioritise peace and security.
According to the statement, Hawan Idi (Eid Durbar) will be conducted by Emir Sanusi from the Kofar Mata Eid Ground through designated routes to Gidan Shettima, terminating at Kofar Fatalwa of the emir’s palace.
It added that Hawan Nasarawa would be held in a modified form without horseback displays, while Hawan Daushe, Hawan Fanisau and Hawan Dorayi have been suspended for the time being in the interest of public safety.
The government said all security agencies had been directed to intensify surveillance and ensure strict compliance with the directives before, during and after the festive period.
It urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding and cooperative with security agencies, while cautioning against the spread of unverified information.
The government further assured the public of its commitment to a peaceful and hitch-free Sallah celebration, wishing Muslims in the state a joyous Eid-el-Fitr.
The Durbar, a centuries-old cultural procession, has been thrown into uncertainty following conflicting statements from government officials on whether it will hold this year, given the unresolved legal battle between Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero.
While Governor Yusuf reinstated Sanusi II in 2024, Bayero continues to contest his dethronement in court, leaving the emirship in dispute.
The government recently hinted that the stool controversy would soon be resolved.
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Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has dismissed comments by human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, over what he described as transactional politics and activism.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
PUNCH Online reports that Sowore’s comment followed a viral video in which the activist criticised what he described as “transactional politics” among some regional agitators and influencers, accusing them of aligning with political actors for personal or material benefit.
In the video, Sowore appeared to reference Igboho, suggesting that his recent political positions, including support for President Bola Tinubu’s potential re-election bid, reflected what he termed “amala politics” — a colloquial expression often used to imply opportunistic or interest-driven engagement rather than principled activism.
Igboho, in a statement issued by his media aide, Olayomi Koiki, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Tuesday, criticised Sowore for allegedly describing his activism as “amala politics” in a recent viral video circulating on social media.
He described the comment as an inconsequential rant that should be ignored by the public.
Igboho argued that his agitation for improved security in the South-West and his support for the second-term bid of President Bola Tinubu in 2027 were constitutional rights aimed at promoting the collective interests of the Yoruba people and the development of Nigeria.
He said, “We strongly reject the characterisation of Igboho’s activism as transactional. Such a myopic position misrepresents the intent and focus of our agitation on effective grassroots security in the South-West and Nigeria as a whole.
“How many protests did Sowore organise to push for my freedom? Sowore’s claim of fighting for the masses contradicts his alleged daily lodging expenses of N450,000 at a popular Lagos hotel.
“I cannot be compelled to endorse political figures such as Peter Obi or Atiku Abubakar, or even align with Sowore’s political platform. I have the right to make independent political decisions based on the security and collective interests of the Yoruba people.”
He added that Igboho’s advocacy prioritises addressing insecurity across Yorubaland, including killings of farmers, kidnappings along highways and attacks on traditional rulers and royal institutions.
Koiki, however, clarified that these concerns form the basis of Igboho’s movement rather than any ambition for political office or revolutionary leadership.
The statement added, “While Sowore has consistently promoted nationwide revolution as a pathway to leadership, Igboho’s approach is rooted in protecting lives, land and property within Yoruba territory. This agitation is a response to real and ongoing threats faced by communities in the region.
“Latest security incidents in northern Nigeria, including reported explosions in Maiduguri on March 16, 2026, also raise questions about the broader effectiveness of long-term revolutionary advocacy.
“We challenge Sowore to assess the situation in his home state of Ondo State, considering the growing cases of banditry, kidnapping and attacks on rural communities.”
The statement added that the impact of insecurity on vulnerable groups, including farmers, traditional rulers, women and children, had been severe, with several communities reportedly affected.
“These realities reinforce Igboho’s long-standing call since 2020 for localised security measures and stronger regional protection strategies.
“Labelling our agitation and efforts as ‘amala politics’ undermines the urgency of the security crisis and the legitimacy of grassroots agitation,” the statement concluded
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The continuous detention of the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has sparked reactions from politicians and socio-political activists.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
DAILY POST reports that the former governor has been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, over an ongoing investigation into alleged financial impropriety when he was governor.
El-Rufai had earlier spent two nights in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before he was picked up by the Department of State Services and then later handed over to the ICPC.
His continuous detention has sparked outrage among citizens who are calling on the commission to immediately charge the former governor to court.
Popular socio-political activist, Aisha Yesufu, said in a post on X that “holding a citizen indefinitely without trial” is impossible.
According to her, “that is not justice. That is not accountability. That begins to look like persecution.
“Every Nigerian, no matter how powerful or unpopular, has the right to a fair hearing. That right is not a favour from the government. It is a constitutional guarantee. If El-Rufai committed crimes, then prosecute him. Nigerians will support that. But what we must never
Support is a system where the government can detain anyone endlessly, simply because it can.
“Today, it may be El-Rufai. Tomorrow, it could be anyone else who speaks or acts in a way that those in power do not like. A democracy must be better than that.
“So the message is simple: charge him in court or release him. Let justice be done openly, lawfully, and transparently. That is the only way a nation that claims to respect the rule of law should act”.
Similarly, an activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, in an interview he posted on X on Wednesday, demanded that the former governor be charged to court immediately, condemning El-Rufai’s incarceration.
“No matter the allegations, I think he should be charged in a court of competent jurisdiction so that he can face the music.
“All these things currently going on don’t look tidy to me”, he said.
On his part, Paul Ibe, a media aide to the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, lambasted ICPC for not charging the former governor to court.
In a statement on his X handle, Ibe accused the Commission of taking sides with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He wrote, “The matter of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai @elrufai has proven beyond measure that the ‘I’ in ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission) @icpcnigeria represents Illegal or Irresponsible.
“There’s nothing Independent about the Commission. They’re no different from all the other institutions of state that are standing on Tinubu’s mandate. The ICPC is nauseatingly pliable and has disgracefully made itself available in coercing members of the opposition into the ruling party”!
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