By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and GAVI have sponsored the solarisation of 28 Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) facilities in Kano, in their bid to ensure adequate immunisation of children and smooth primary healthcare delivery in the state.
Speaking during the handover of the solarised 28 PHCs to the State Government and National Primary Health Care Development Agency of Nigeria, the UNICEF officer in charge of the Kano Field office, Michael Banda, said
UNICEF, in collaboration with Gavi, has been proud to support the solarisation of Primary Health Care facilities under the CDS3 Health System Strengthening initiative.
According to him, the effort focused on Nigeria’s 100 zero-dose Local Government Areas, where a significant number of children remain unvaccinated and deprived of other primary health care services.
Banda said in 2023, a comprehensive PHC functionality assessment was conducted with the support of UNICEF to identify the PHC functionality and the energy needs of these facilities.
He further stated that: “From that assessment, 371 health centres were selected for solarisation. Installation of solar systems began in 2024-25, in partnership with eHealth Systems Africa.
28 PHCs in Kano state have been selected for solarisation through these efforts, and I’m pleased to share that out of those, all 28 facilities were successfully solarised in Kano State as of now.
“Now, how were these facilities chosen? The selection was guided by a set of strategic criteria. First, we prioritised facilities located in zero-dose LGAs to ensure we reached the most underserved populations.
“We also made sure not to duplicate efforts—facilities already covered by other projects like CRIBS and IMPACT were excluded.”
According to him, a major key factor militating against primary healthcare delivery was electricity access.
UNICEF and Gavi focused on facilities with unreliable or no connection to the national grid, aligning perfectly with the solarisation goals.
He added that: “Each selected site was actively providing routine immunisation services, with a preference for Level-2 Primary Health Care centres. And finally, we gave special attention to facilities having minimal human resources, aiming to strengthen capacity where it was most urgently needed.
“This initiative is more than just infrastructure about impact. By providing reliable electricity, we’ve enabled proper vaccine refrigeration, round-the-clock primary health services, and reduced dependence on fossil fuels. It’s a step forward in building a more sustainable and equitable health system for all.
“Today, Gavi, our key immunisation partner and other crucial immunisation partners are here, and we are glad to hand over the solar systems in conjunction with the Gavi team to the State Government and National Primary Health Care Development Agency of Nigeria.”
In her remarks, Jessica Crawford, Senior Country Manager – Gavi, said Gavi’s work together with UNICEF aimed to reach all children in Nigeria with life-saving vaccines, to increase vaccine coverage and equity and to reduce the number of zero-dose children.
“That work is of paramount importance here in Kano state, where approximately 2/3 of children do not receive their full course of vaccines.
Gavi investments in Kano state over the years have included cold chain, systems strengthening, service delivery, zero dose reduction operational plans, and demand generation, resulting in some of the improvements we have seen in immunisation coverage.
“But most important of all is our collective investment with the Federal Government of Nigeria in the vaccines themselves,” she added.
She further stated that the occasion marked an important milestone in the journey to reach children in Kano State, not only with the life-saving vaccines, but also to build on national and state investments in strengthening primary health care overall.
According to her, “Gavi, through its health systems and immunisation strengthening programme, is supporting solar electrification of health facilities across Nigeria through our partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and Alliance Partners.
“The initiative is designed to enhance the functionality of vaccine cold chains, power essential medical equipment and improve maternal and primary health services.
“We expect the investment to result in improved service delivery, workforce stability, enhanced sustainability, and ultimately result in more lives saved.
These are transformational investments.
” We call upon our colleagues here today to ensure these investments bring their full potential, that they serve the community and that the people of Kano state can count on stronger PHC services available to them.
“These investments must be protected and maintained. We stand ready as your partner to support you in improving the health and well-being of children in Kano State. Congratulations on this achievement.”
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, appealed to the authorities of primary healthcare centres where the solar panels were installed to make judicious use of the facilities and ensure adequate maintenance.
“These facilities should not be used for any other purpose, except for PHC activities. These facilities are provided to facilitate zero-dose activities. We want all the children in Kano to be vaccinated. Anybody who used these facilities for other purposes will be seriously punished,” he said.
Leave a Reply