Obi calls for increased funding, staffing of PHCs

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential candidate, Peter Obi has called on the federal and state governments to increase funding and staffing for Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the country.

Reacting to recent findings showing that 97 percent of assessed PHCs across 16 states fail to meet national staffing standards with broader estimates indicating that roughly 80 percent of PHCs nationwide are non-functional, Obi stressed that the data represents a profound human emergency rather than mere statistics.

“Behind every understaffed PHC is a pregnant woman who might not receive timely care, and a child who could die from a preventable illness,” Obi stated, pointing to Nigeria’s poor global health rankings as a direct consequence of a neglected primary healthcare infrastructure.

The former Anambra State governor argued that true national development cannot be measured by physical infrastructure such as flyovers, bus terminals, or underutilized airports.

Instead, he maintained that governance progress must be evaluated by lives saved, the operational capacity of health facilities, the retention of qualified medical personnel, and equitable access to quality care.

Emphasizing that healthcare is a fundamental responsibility of government rather than a luxury for the wealthy, Obi called for an immediate shift in budgetary commitments.

He urged authorities to direct increased funding toward strengthening primary healthcare delivery, recruiting and retaining essential health workers, and ensuring that affordable medical services reach vulnerable populations regardless of geographic location or income level.