The Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency (TSPHCDA), Dr. Tukura Nuhu Nyigwa, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare and expanding access to quality health services at the grassroots.
Nyigwa made the commitment during a free integrated primary healthcare outreach held in Koffai Community, Ardo Kola local government council, as part of activities marking the 2026 International Self-Care Day.
The Community Integrated Medical Outreach, organised by the Society for Family Health (SFH) in partnership with the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency, was themed “Promoting Self-Care for Health and Well-being.”
According to Nyigwa, the outreach reflects the government’s resolve to bring essential healthcare services closer to communities through strategic partnerships with development organisations.
“Today’s outreach reflects our commitment to bringing essential health services closer to the people. Through strategic partnerships with organisations such as the Society for Family Health and other development partners, we will continue to expand access to quality healthcare and ensure that no community is left behind,” he said.
He described International Self-Care Day as an opportunity to encourage individuals and communities to take greater responsibility for their health through informed decision-making and healthy lifestyle choices.
Nyigwa explained that self-care encompasses maintaining good hygiene, eating nutritious meals, engaging in regular physical activity, seeking accurate health information, practising responsible family planning, and accessing preventive and curative healthcare services when necessary.
He, however, stressed that self-care should complement—not replace—professional medical care.
Also speaking, the State Family Planning Coordinator, Mrs. Juliana Philibus Adamu, highlighted the introduction of the self-injectable contraceptive as one of the major innovations showcased during the outreach.
She said the method allows eligible women to administer their contraceptive injections independently after receiving appropriate training from qualified healthcare providers, reducing the need for frequent visits to health facilities while promoting convenience and informed reproductive health choices.
The State Team Lead of the Society for Family Health, Patricia Ogenyo Anebi, said the outreach was designed to improve access to integrated primary healthcare services while encouraging healthy lifestyles and preventive healthcare practices.
According to Anebi, beneficiaries received a wide range of services, including family planning counselling and services, child immunisation, nutrition screening, blood pressure checks, HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) counselling, distribution of HIV self-testing kits, health education, and other preventive health interventions.
She urged residents to take advantage of the services, engage with healthcare providers, and share the health information received with their families and neighbours.
The outreach attracted women of reproductive age, nursing mothers, children, and other residents of Koffai Community, underscoring the shared commitment of the Taraba state government and its development partners to promoting self-care, preventing disease, and ensuring equitable access to quality primary healthcare services across the state.