Niger to Construct 274 Level II PHCs, Target Vaccination of 3 Million Children 

…Seek Military Support for Inaccessible Areas.

By  Daniel Ebi , Minna.

The Niger State Government has unveiled plans to strengthen healthcare delivery through the construction of 274 Level II Primary Health Care Centres across the state, while also targeting the immunisation of three million children through a statewide vaccination campaign.

The Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Muhammad Murtala Bagana, disclosed this on Wednesday during the flag-off ceremony of the 2026 World Immunisation Week at Tamakon Juna Primary Health Care Centre in Minna.

He said the administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago had already commenced strategic reforms aimed at making quality healthcare accessible to residents in all parts of the state.

According to him, 20 Primary Health Care Centres have already been fully upgraded to Level II status, while about 100 others are currently undergoing transformation.
He added that the government plans to scale up the number to 274 centres within the next four years.

Bagana said the upgraded facilities would significantly improve access to healthcare services, especially in rural communities.
On immunisation, the commissioner disclosed that about three million children between the ages of zero and five years had been captured under the state’s vaccination target.

He said the government was aiming for between 90 and 95 per cent coverage in the ongoing exercise, noting that anything below 80 per cent would be considered unacceptable.

“When you protect a child, you significantly protect the larger population,” he said.

He commended development partners including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and others for their support in helping the state achieve its immunisation targets.

Bagana further revealed that Niger State currently hosts the North Central Zonal Vaccine Hub, which stores vaccines required for the entire North Central region.
“As a result, we have adequate access to vaccines and antigens needed for this mass immunisation campaign,” he added.
Addressing the security challenges affecting some communities, the commissioner said the state had adopted a micro-planning model that categorises areas into fully accessible, partially accessible and inaccessible zones.

He explained that in partially accessible communities, health workers, with military support, would adopt a rapid intervention approach after security clearance.
“In areas that are partially accessible, our teams move in immediately after the military secures the environment, administer the vaccines and withdraw promptly,” he said.

For communities that remain inaccessible due to insecurity, he said military and other security personnel would be provided with vaccines against six major childhood killer diseases, measles, polio, tuberculosis, whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus  for administration to rescued children and affected families.

Responding, the Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area, Mustapha Jibrin Alheri, urged parents and guardians to ensure their children were vaccinated, stressing that the vaccines are safe and effective.

Representatives of development partners, including UNICEF, also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the state in reducing maternal and child mortality through sustained immunisation campaigns.