By Hassan Olayinka

Every community has a hospital that tells a story. Some tell stories of neglect, where broken equipment gathered dust, overstretched health workers struggled with limited resources, and patients travelled long distances in search of quality care.

Others tell stories of hope, where government investment restores confidence in public healthcare and brings life-saving services closer to the people.

For many years, Kwara belonged largely to the first category. Decades of underinvestment left many public health facilities in poor condition. Specialist services were limited, and access to quality healthcare remained a challenge, especially for rural communities.

Many residents who could afford it sought treatment outside the state, while those who could not often settled for inadequate care.

Under the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, however, a different story is unfolding. It is a story reflected not in political rhetoric but in upgraded hospitals, improved healthcare outcomes, renewed confidence among development partners, and the growing number of Kwarans who can now access quality medical services within the state.

Unlike many reforms that begin with headline-grabbing projects, Kwara’s healthcare transformation started with the basics. The administration focused on rebuilding the primary healthcare system, strengthening secondary facilities, investing in modern medical equipment, expanding health insurance coverage, and improving the welfare and capacity of health workers.

The results are increasingly visible across the state.

Nearly 200 primary healthcare centres have been renovated, equipped and solarised under programmes supported by the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, the World Bank-assisted IMPACT Project, and state resources. Of these, 83 have been upgraded to modern Level-Two facilities with labour rooms, laboratories, pharmacies, immunisation units, clean water, reliable electricity, staff quarters, and perimeter fencing. Communities including Alapa, Magaji Ngeri, Ago Oja, Aboto-Alfa, Ijagbo, Babanloma, Oro, and Lade now have health facilities that are not only functional but also capable of delivering quality services closer to the people.

The reforms extend well beyond primary healthcare. General hospitals in Patigi, Lafiagi, Kaiama, Yashikira, Oro, and other parts of the state have undergone major upgrades, while the former General Hospital, Ilorin, has been transformed into the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH).

More than a change of status, the upgrade positions the institution as a centre for specialist healthcare, medical education, and the training of future health professionals.

Nothing symbolises this ambition more than the ultramodern Intensive Care Unit recently completed at KWASUTH. Commissioned by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during her official visit to Kwara State, the facility is the largest Intensive Care Unit in North Central Nigeria.

It significantly expands the state’s capacity to manage critically ill patients and complex surgical cases, reducing the need for emergency referrals outside Kwara.

The administration has also prioritised modern diagnostics. At the inception of the AbdulRazaq administration, much of the state’s diagnostic infrastructure was outdated or no longer met contemporary standards. Rather than continue relying on obsolete technology, the government procured a state-of-the-art 1.5 Tesla MRI machine and a 160-slice CT scanner, significantly strengthening the diagnosis of neurological, oncological, spinal, and other complex medical conditions.

Modern ultrasound machines have also been distributed to health facilities, while Sobi Specialist Hospital has received new ophthalmic equipment to strengthen eye care services.

Complementing these investments is a state-of-the-art Oncology Centre under construction in partnership with ASR Africa. When completed, it will improve access to cancer diagnosis and treatment, sparing many families the emotional and financial burden of travelling outside the state for specialised care.

Healthcare infrastructure alone, however, cannot deliver better outcomes without qualified professionals. Like many parts of Nigeria, Kwara has not been immune to the migration of doctors, nurses, and other health workers. The state’s response has been both pragmatic and proactive.

The AbdulRazaq administration has implemented the full CONMESS and CONHESS salary structures alongside hazard allowances to improve staff welfare and retention. Hundreds of healthcare workers across different cadres have been recruited, with additional nurses currently being employed to strengthen service delivery.

Equally important is the sustained investment in training. Dozens of midwives have been trained in Basic Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care, while hundreds of health workers have received specialised training in nutrition, immunisation, quality improvement, childhood pneumonia management, and disease surveillance.

Kwara also became the first state in Nigeria to commence payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund in 2025, supporting resident doctors and reinforcing its commitment to developing a sustainable healthcare workforce.

The reforms have been matched by deliberate efforts to make healthcare more affordable. Through the KwaraCare Health Insurance Scheme, more than 100,000 residents, particularly the poor and vulnerable, now enjoy access to essential healthcare services without the crushing burden of out-of-pocket expenses. Regional offices established across the state have further expanded access, making Kwara one of Nigeria’s leading examples in the drive towards universal health coverage.

The annual free medico-surgical outreach has become another defining feature of the administration’s people-centred approach. In 2025 alone, more than 10,000 residents across the 16 local government areas benefited from free consultations, surgeries, medications, eye care services, and the distribution of eyeglasses.

Emergency response has also improved with ambulances deployed across all 16 local government areas, supported by outreach vans, motorcycles, and digital tools that have strengthened service delivery, monitoring, and accountability.

The impact of these reforms is no longer measured only by projects completed but by outcomes achieved. Kwara has consistently ranked among Nigeria’s best-performing states in primary healthcare delivery, winning the Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge several times and attracting incentive funding of more than $1.4 million to further strengthen health services

Immunisation coverage has consistently surpassed national targets, while nearly half a million children have received Vitamin A supplementation and deworming medication through state-supported programmes.

Independent health indicators also point in the right direction. Kwara now records one of the lowest under-five mortality rates in Nigeria, reflecting sustained investments in maternal and child healthcare, nutrition, immunisation, and community-based interventions. The renewed confidence of development partners such as the World Bank and UNICEF further underscores the credibility of the state’s healthcare reforms.

Recognition has naturally followed these achievements. In 2025, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq received the Nigerian Medical Association’s Award of Excellent Service in recognition of his contributions to healthcare delivery and human capital development. The honour complements other national recognitions earned by Kwara for excellence in primary healthcare and public health programming.

No serious observer would argue that every healthcare challenge has been solved. Healthcare remains one of the most demanding sectors of governance, requiring continuous investment, innovation, and adaptation. Population growth, the migration of health professionals, and emerging public health threats mean that the work of building a resilient health system is never truly finished.

Yet governance should be judged not by the absence of challenges but by the quality of its response to them. By that standard, Kwara’s healthcare story has become one of steady, measurable, and verifiable progress. From revitalised primary healthcare centres and upgraded general hospitals to the largest Intensive Care Unit in North Central Nigeria, modern diagnostic equipment, expanded health insurance coverage, and improved health outcomes, the state has demonstrated that purposeful leadership can transform a critical sector.

Perhaps the most enduring achievement of the AbdulRazaq administration is not the number of facilities renovated or the sophistication of the equipment procured. It is the restoration of public confidence in a healthcare system that increasingly works for ordinary people. For thousands of Kwarans who can now access quality healthcare closer to home, healthcare has ceased to be a promise. It is steadily becoming a reality.

Hassan Olayinka is a public affairs commentator based in Ilorin, Kwara State.