Buni Commits to 38 New PHCs as Yobe Pushes Toward Universal Health Coverage

Buni Commits to 38 New PHCs as Yobe Pushes Toward Universal Health Coverage

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu

Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni has announced plans to construct and fully equip 38 new Primary Healthcare centers (PHCs) across the state, a move aimed at strengthening grassroots healthcare delivery and fast-tracking the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The governor said the new facilities, scheduled for completion by December 2026, will serve the remaining 38 communities yet to benefit from standard primary healthcare services, bringing the total number of PHCs in the state to 178—one for each political ward.

Buni made the pledge on Sunday during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Machina Cultural Festival (MACRF) held in Machina, a border community between Nigeria and the Niger Republic.

According to him, the expansion of PHCs aligns with both federal and state priorities to strengthen primary healthcare as the backbone of an effective health system and to meet the UHC target by 2030.

“With the addition of these 38 centers, every ward in Yobe State will have a functional primary healthcare facility,” the governor said.

The governor explained, “This is a deliberate strategy to bring quality and affordable healthcare services closer to our people, especially those in hard-to-reach and border communities.”

Buni attributed the progress recorded so far in the health sector to the dedication of health workers serving in the state, particularly those deployed to insurgency-affected areas.

He revealed that Yobe State recently received a performance-based reward of $1.2 million (about N1.8 billion) for meeting key UHC benchmarks, noting that the funds are being channeled into the construction and equipping of the additional 38 PHCs.

Beyond infrastructure, the governor emphasised a people-centered healthcare approach, characterising it as “an efficient system that directly delivers essential health services to citizens.”

He added that the existing 140 PHCs have been strengthened with over 3,000 medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and other critical health workers, to improve service delivery across the state.

In a related development, Buni also announced the expansion of the Yobe State Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (YOAES), with plans to support an additional 50 farmers in each of the state’s 178 wards as part of efforts to boost food security and livelihoods.

Following the Machina Cultural Festival, the governor inaugurated a philanthropic housing estate in Nguru and inspected ongoing health, agricultural, and market projects in Machina.

The cultural festival attracted high-profile dignitaries, including former Senate President Ahmad Lawan, as well as traditional rulers from different parts of Nigeria and the neighbouring Niger Republic.

Earlier in the day, Governor Buni had commissioned the housing estate in Nguru and toured several development projects aimed at improving social services and economic activities in the zone.