Kaduna State Government has commenced the implementation of electronic medical records across primary and secondary health facilities to eliminate missing patient folders and to improve healthcare service delivery across the state.
Speaking while responding to questions from journalists during a two-day media engagement workshop organized by Kaduna Ministry of Health in collaboration with ISMPH, ENGENDER HEALTH consortium partnership, and Unified Health Media Network in Kaduna, Dr. Jokshan, held at Dome Suits on the 21st to 22nd of July, the Deputy Director of the Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Joseph Natsah Jokshan, the electronic medical records system would improve continuity of care, reduce duplication of patient records and strengthen service delivery across health facilities in the state.
He also explained the differences between the state’s Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) and the Basic HealthCare Provision Fund (BHCPF) quality assessment, stressing that the two systems serve different purposes and cannot replace each other.
Dr. Jokshan said the Basic Health Care Provision Fund is a national programme established by the National Health Act and backed by law, making it a permanent component of Nigeria’s healthcare system unless repealed through another legislation.
He explained that while projects have specific timelines, programmes are continuous and may consist of several projects. According to him, the Basic Health Care Provision Fund operates as a long-term programme with its own monitoring and evaluation framework, separate from the state’s Integrated Supportive Supervision.
Dr. Jokshan said both the ISS and the Basic Health Care quality assessment are conducted quarterly but differ in scope, implementation and objectives. He noted that the BHCPF assessment covers broader thematic areas and is implemented as a national activity involving federal, state and local government actors, while the ISS is a state initiative.
He disclosed that Kaduna State had considered redesigning the ISS to merge it with other assessment systems but found that impossible because the state could not alter a nationally established programme.
Responding to concerns over the availability of laboratory services in primary healthcare facilities, Dr. Jokshan said Level Two health facilities are expected to provide services round the clock. However, he admitted that shortages of laboratory personnel remain a challenge, explaining that many facilities have only one laboratory technician, making continuous service difficult.
He said the board is working towards deploying at least two laboratory personnel per facility to enable shift duties, while emergency cases requiring urgent laboratory services would be handled through on-call arrangements.
On reports that some public health facilities outsource laboratory tests to private operators, Dr. Jokshan said the board was unaware of such practices and described them as unacceptable without official approval. He noted that while public-private partnerships in laboratory services exist in some countries, any such arrangement in Kaduna must be properly regulated to ensure quality and fair pricing.
Dr. Jokshan spoke while answering questions from journalists during the two-day media engagement workshop organised to strengthen evidence-based reporting and promote accountability in primary healthcare service delivery in Kaduna State.
