By Aliyu Baba Mohammed
The only primary healthcare clinic in Dokan Rago village of Kubau Local Government Area has been stripped of all medical equipment and converted into accommodation for a school headmistress, leaving residents to travel to neighbouring towns for basic medical care.
The clinic building stands empty with no drugs, no equipment and no functional healthcare services. Mrs Hauwa Ahmed, the sole staff member assigned to the facility, only visits occasionally to check on the structure but has no medical work to perform because the clinic is no longer operational.
The building has been given to Mrs Sarah Barnabas posted to the village as headmistress of UBE Primary School Dokan Rago (the collapsed school reported by Dawn Herald recently), to use as living quarters. All the classrooms at the primary school have completely collapsed years ago without reconstruction up to this moment.
In essence, what should be serving as the community’s healthcare facility is now functioning as residential accommodation. The clinic no longer serves its intended purpose, and Dokan Rago village is left without access to basic medical services.
Just like the school, this situation also mirrors the collapsed state of the community’s health facility. With both the school and clinic non-functional, Dokan Rago lacks the two most essential social amenities needed for any community to thrive.
Residents who fall ill have no option but to seek medical attention in Kartau or Ikara town in neighbouring Ikara Local Government Area. For a community already struggling with poverty and poor road networks, this journey represents a significant burden, especially during medical emergencies.
The village head, Malam Yahuza Magaji Dokan Rago, expressed disappointment at the government’s neglect of the village despite their pleas;
Our people suffer when they are sick because we have no functional clinic here. Pregnant women, children, elderly people all have to travel far for treatment, and sometimes it used to be late-night (In Hausa language)
Nafiu Ahmed, the youth leader, added that the community has made several appeals to authorities without results;
We have written letters and made complaints but nobody is responding to our requests. Our clinic is now a house and our school is under trees. How can we develop like this?
What makes the situation particularly frustrating is that government officials at various levels have failed to address the problem. The Kubau Local Government Chairman, the senator representing the zone, the House of Representatives member, and the councilor of Mah Ward have all been informed about the crisis but no action has been taken.
Located on the border between Kubau and Ikara local governments, Dokan Rago appears to have been forgotten in infrastructure development plans of Kaduna State. While other communities receive new schools and upgraded health facilities, this village continues to deteriorate.
The conversion of the clinic into living quarters highlights a troubling pattern of government neglect. When public infrastructure meant for essential services is repurposed for other uses, it shows that authorities have essentially written off that community’s needs.
Healthcare is a basic human right, yet residents of Dokan Rago and surrounding villages are denied access to even the most basic medical services. Simple ailments that could be treated at a primary healthcare center now require long journeys to distant towns.
For pregnant women, the lack of a nearby clinic is especially dangerous. Complications during pregnancy or childbirth require immediate medical attention, and the distance to Kartau or Ikara could prove fatal in emergency situations. Many women in the community have likely experienced difficult situations due to the absence of local healthcare.
Children in the village are also at risk. Common childhood illnesses like malaria, diarrhea and respiratory infections need prompt treatment. When parents must travel for several minutes or hours to reach a clinic, minor health issues can escalate into serious conditions.
Elderly residents face similar challenges, as many older people in rural areas have chronic conditions that require regular monitoring and medication. Without a functional clinic nearby, managing these conditions becomes extremely difficult and expensive.
The fact that Mrs Hauwa Ahmed is still officially assigned to the clinic despite there being no medical services to provide raises questions about resource allocation in Kaduna State’s health sector. A healthcare worker with no patients to treat and no facility to work in represents a waste of government resources.
There were attempts to reach Kubau Local Government Chairman Musa Sale Banki for comment on the abandoned clinic but were unsuccessful, as phone calls/messages went unanswered. This lack of response from local government leadership raises concerns about how close or accessible the local leaders are to the people.
The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency and the Ministry of Health must immediately investigate the situation at Dokan Rago clinic. A public health facility cannot be allowed to remain converted to residential use while an entire community goes without healthcare access.
The state government should restore the clinic building to its proper function, equip it with essential medical supplies and equipment, and deploy qualified healthcare workers to serve the community. At the same time, a humble but proper staff quarters should be constructed for the school headmistress and any other government workers posted to the village.
Kubau Local Government must take responsibility for health facilities within its jurisdiction. The local government health department should conduct an assessment of the clinic and develop an action plan for restoring services. Funds allocated for primary healthcare should be used to revive the Dokan Rago facility.
The state assembly member and senator representing the area should treat this as a constituency matter requiring urgent intervention. Elected representatives have a duty to ensure their constituents have access to basic services, and the situation in Dokan Rago represents a clear failure in this regard.
Community development projects in Kaduna State should not focus solely on urban areas or easily accessible locations. Remote villages like Dokan Rago deserve equal attention and investment in social infrastructure. Distance from the state capital should not determine whether citizens receive basic healthcare and education.
The people of Dokan Rago have been patient and have followed proper channels in seeking help, but their appeals have been ignored for too long. Without immediate government action, this community will continue to suffer preventable health complications and educational setbacks that could affect generations to come.
A community without a school or clinic is a community that cannot develop. Children cannot learn without proper classrooms, and residents cannot stay healthy without access to medical care. The government’s continued neglect of Dokan Rago amounts to abandoning its citizens and slacking its basic responsibilities.
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