No fewer than 69 primary healthcare facilities have been shut down by the Katsina State government due to the increasing activities of bandits.

The executive secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr Shamsudeen Yahaya, made the revelation while responding to questions on some dilapidated healthcare centres in the state.

He said lack of proper coordination, poor financing and decaying infrastructure had been the major constraints facing the health sector, but the state government has made several efforts to address them.

According to him, the government cannot fix all the challenges facing all the 1,800 health facilities across the 361 wards at a time, hence resolving to have a functional health centre in each ward to give efficient healthcare services.

He stated that the government have already commenced the rehabilitation of some facilities with the disbursement of N1.2 million, free drugs, and engagement programmes for the staff as well as recruitment of personnel.

He reiterated that "69 healthcare facilities were closed down due to security challenges in the troubled areas, like Jibia, Batsari, Faskari, Dandume among others. We have been receiving complaints from the female staff requesting to leave the areas."