Residents of Kadani community of Kura Local Government Area, Kano, are growing increasingly desperate as they are confronted with an emerging threat: the complete absence of healthcare services and perceived systemic neglect of their community.
Hauwa, a mother of two, expresses her disappointment, noting that despite attending antenatal care at the health post, the Fulanis living in an outskirt close to the kadani community are frequently ignored regarding the distribution of mosquito nets to mothers. "We never receive the free treated mosquito nets they give to other residents that go for antenatal, except for one time more than four years ago," she laments.
This feeling of marginalization brews a lack of trust from the Fulani group which has led to a boycott, with many of them refusing to participate in immunisation programmes and polio vaccinations, placing their children at risk.
Apart from that, Hauwa also stated that the 31-year-old Kadani health post struggles with inadequate maternal care services due to a shortage of health providers and its limited hours of operation, compelling mothers to seek childbirth services from traditional midwives. "Unless there are complications, we do not take women to the hospital. [Even] the nearest hospital is far away."
Sulaiman Kura, the Ward Development Committee (WDC) Chairman in Kura Local Government Area, acknowledged the alleged marginalisation of Fulanis in the community and urged for a better integration of the community, which is essential for equitable service delivery.
"The village head has already addressed this issue. They often distance themselves from the rest of the community and frequently migrate from one location to another, making it harder to include them in service delivery. But we are planning to work with local leaders to foster better relationships," Sulaiman said.
A worsening crisis: Kadani's health post in decline
Umar Titi, a resident of the Kadani community, describes the facility's downfall. He explained that the hospital, "has gone backwards instead of forward. We have a very significant population here in the Kadani community, yet we have no functioning health facility. You can go for five days and not find a single health worker."
Auwalu, another resident, also shares the same view. "The person in charge does not come to work regularly and there are no sufficient health workers on-site most of the time. This facility used to serve the entire Kosawa Ward, but now it is in complete despair. People show up and leave without getting needed help. The absence of security also has led to vandalism of the facility."
The facility currently serves a population of over five thousand people in the Kadani community which exceeds the recommended limit of five hundred people for a health post, based on the minimum service provision package. This high demand forces residents to seek health services at the nearest facility in Kura, located more than five kilometres away.
As Nigeria progresses with its Health Sector Renewal Plan (2023-2026), the situation in Kadani community highlights the urgent need to meet the growing healthcare demands of the community. This aligns with the second pillar of the four-point agenda for the strategic health sector renewal plan, which aims to create an efficient, equitable, and high-quality healthcare system.
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The residents of Kadani community are hereby demanding:
1. An upgrade of the health post to offer comprehensive maternal care services.
2. Recruitment of more dedicated healthcare workers to address the growing health needs of the community, including hiring security personnel to protect the facility from vandalism and misuse. 3. Equal access to healthcare resources and services, particularly for the underserved groups in the community.
