Ebere Esther Nwaniago, a resident of Saburi in Gwagwa Ward, got injured after falling on a big stone along the road while heading to a shop, which caused her to sustain injuries. In a bid to get treatment, she quickly went to Saburi Primary Health Care in Abuja for medical attention.
Esther was disappointed when she arrived at the primary health care centre and they only cleaned her wound with cotton wool and advised her to go to a hospital to have it stitched because they didn’t have the necessary medical equipment to treat it.
The wound became infected and swollen, but she was afraid to go to the General Hospital due to fears over the high cost of treatment.
This is the fate of residents of Saburi in Gwagwa, who have a Primary Health Care centre in their community but cannot access proper medical care due to a lack of equipment.
Ugwu Ebereche Goodness, another resident of the community, also lamented the lack of medical equipment, the shortage of drugs, and the presence of abandoned buildings in the facility. She urged the government to provide necessary equipment so health workers can perform their duties effectively.
A community health worker at Saburi PHC confirmed that most patients are referred to larger hospitals due to a lack of medical equipment and a shortage of medical personnel.
The facility lacks sufficient syringes, bandages, gloves, personal protective equipment, GV ink, and a fetal heart rate monitor. There is no electricity or water, except when a generator is used and no armed security in the facility to protect it from burglaries.
Despite these challenges, about 12 communities rely on this primary health care centre, and approximately 4,380 patients visit the facility each year for healthcare.
“The government should provide us with enough equipment. We need a freezer, electricity, water, chairs, medications, a microscope, laboratory equipment, blood pressure apparatus, and an ambulance. We refer any case beyond us to Kubwa General Hospital, which is about one hour from this community,” a community health worker at Saburi Primary Health Care said.
The lack of adequate medical equipment affects all 10 PHCs visited by this reporter in the Abuja Municipal Area Council. These include Aleyita Primary Health Care, Gbagarape Primary Health Care, Gishiri Primary Health Care, Iddo Pada Primary Health Care, Idu-Karmo Primary Health Care, Karshi Primary Health Care, Karu Primary Health Care, Saburi Primary Health Care, and 7 Guards Battalion Medical Reception.
At Idu-Karmo Primary Health Care Clinic in Jiwa, Blessing Abel, a community resident, disclosed that the clinic struggles with a lack of medical equipment and does not have any equipment for surgical operations. She noted that the facility also has no medical doctor.
“That’s where I did my antenatal, but I didn’t go there for delivery because of the lack of equipment. I registered at a private hospital. In any emergency, patients are usually rushed to Gwarinpa, which is about 30 minutes from Jiwa,” Abel said.
A community health worker at the Idu-Karmo Primary Health Care facility also confirmed that many patients are referred to secondary and tertiary hospitals due to a lack of equipment and doctors. He noted that they refer cases of hepatitis and labour complications that they cannot manage to larger hospitals.
“The government hasn’t done any renovation since the centre was built. I painted the external side of the building myself. I’ve been here for six years, and nothing has been done. The borehole is not working. We have tap water, but it’s unreliable. We rely on the water board.
“All the blood pressure apparatuses are faulty. Only one is functional. We need a weighing scale, stretcher, chairs and tables, a microscope for the lab, a centrifuge machine, an ambulance, and an infusion pump. We also don’t have essential facilities to accommodate persons with disabilities,” the CMW added.
A similar issue is confronting Iddo Pada Primary Health Care in AMAC. Five communities depend on the facility, but it needs expansion due to lack of space and requires repairs for its leaking roof.
They usually refer complicated cases to larger hospitals. The facility lacks bandages, syringes, personal protective equipment, injection ampoules, GV ink, methylated spirit, a stretcher, and solar panels to power the centre. It also lacks a delivery couch, forceps, hematocrit machine, plastic chairs, and long benches. There is no bedpan, no ramps, no sloped access, no wheelchairs, no braille signage, and no pictorial guides for people with disabilities.
Consequences of Medical Equipment Shortages in PHCs
A significant shortage of essential medical equipment in Nigeria’s Primary Health Care (PHC) centres has led to severe consequences for patient outcomes and the general healthcare system.
According to the 2023 National Health Facility Survey, over two-thirds of Nigerian health facilities lack the basic equipment and essential drugs required for effective care. This shortage has contributed to delayed or inaccurate diagnoses, as health workers often lack basic tools such as thermometers, stethoscopes, and blood pressure apparatuses. Without this equipment, healthcare providers struggle to assess and monitor patients properly. The result is increased morbidity and mortality, particularly in maternal and child health, where the absence of delivery kits and neonatal equipment can lead to preventable deaths.
The World Health Organization (WHO) outlines a list of priority medical devices essential for effective primary healthcare delivery. These include diagnostic tools like thermometers, sphygmomanometers, stethoscopes, glucometers, and otoscopes; maternal and child health equipment such as fetal dopplers, infant scales, and neonatal resuscitation kits; emergency care devices including oxygen concentrators and suction machines; basic laboratory tools like microscopes and centrifuges; and sterilization and waste management tools such as autoclaves and sharps containers.
These devices form the foundation of quality PHC, supporting disease prevention, timely diagnosis, and appropriate treatment. However, most PHCs in Nigeria lack this equipment, and the impact on communities is devastating.
What Is the Way Forward?
To address the ongoing crisis in PHC equipment in Nigeria, a multi-pronged strategy is required. Increased and targeted funding must be allocated to the health sector to procure and maintain essential equipment. Transparent procurement processes are vital to ensure accountability and prevent corruption or mismanagement of funds. Also, healthcare workers must be trained not only to use medical devices effectively but also to maintain them.
Encouraging public-private partnerships can help bridge funding and supply gaps by leveraging private sector resources. Community engagement is also a key, as local communities must be involved in identifying needs and overseeing PHC operations to ensure services are relevant and trusted.
This story was produced for the Frontline Investigative Program and was supported by the Africa Data Hub and Orodata Science.