Nasarawa State Under Governor Sule Spends N167million On International Medical Treatments, Zero Naira On Primary Healthcare In Nine Months

A review of the Nasarawa State budget performance document has shown that the state led by Governor Abdullahi Sule spent N167million on international medical expenses in the first nine months of the year.

This is more than the N150million the state budgeted for same for the 2024 fiscal year.

Review shows however that while the state spent N167 million on international medical treatments, it spent zero naira on its primary health capital needs.

Budget documents showed that the state budgeted N1.1billion for its primary healthcare capital needs for the 2024 fiscal year but spent zero naira as of the first nine months of the year.

This is despite reported rots at the primary healthcare centers in the state.

In March 2024, it was reported that 59 doctors resigned from the state resigned over poor welfare. 

Just before this report, it was reported that no fewer than 143 children under the age of five and women of reproductive age had died in twelve communities of twenty-three local government areas in Nasarawa signalling a high case of child mortality.

The child mortality rate of Nasarawa State at 60 per 1000 live births while infant mortality stands at 64 per 1000 live births.

High mortality rate is usually blamed in part on poor healthcare facilities.

The Nigerian political class has been condemned for prioritising international medical trips as against developing local facilities such as clinics, hospitals and primary healthcare centers.