The Katsina State Government has begun deploying 238 tricycle ambulances to primary healthcare centres across the state to improve emergency referrals and access to healthcare in rural communities.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, launched the ambulances on Tuesday alongside 18 Advanced Life Support ambulances and commissioned the upgraded General Hospital Charanchi.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare commended Governor Radda’s investments in healthcare infrastructure, emergency response, and health insurance coverage.
He said Katsina’s health insurance enrollment had increased from about 350,000 beneficiaries in 2023 to nearly 600,000 in 2026, while more than 184,000 people had been enrolled through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
The minister also disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had donated three additional ambulances to the state, increasing the number of Advanced Life Support ambulances launched from 15 to 18.
Governor Radda said the interventions were aimed at saving lives, improving referrals, and reducing delays in accessing medical care, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
He said more than 280 Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Centres had been renovated and revitalised, with the remaining facilities expected to be completed to provide upgraded healthcare services across all 361 wards.
The governor said the 238 tricycle ambulances were the first batch of 361 planned for the state’s 361 wards.
He added that the newly commissioned General Hospital Charanchi, upgraded from a Comprehensive Health Centre, would provide medical, surgical, maternity, diagnostic, and emergency services to residents of Charanchi and neighboring communities.
Charanchi is the fourth of six secondary healthcare facilities being established by the administration, with hospitals in Faskari and Mai’adua expected to be completed before the end of 2026.
Governor Radda also said the state had enrolled 20,000 inmates, 20,000 persons living with disabilities, and 50,000 members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps and vigilante groups in its free health insurance program.
The Minister urged traditional, religious, and community leaders to intensify advocacy for childhood vaccination following the recent diphtheria outbreak in Katsina and Kano states. The Federal Government had activated an emergency task force in August to coordinate the response to the outbreak.
The Katsina government has also continued to expand emergency healthcare services, having taken delivery of 15 intensive-care ambulances earlier in 2026 as part of its emergency medical services program.
