Kwara State has emerged as the top-performing state in Northern Nigeria and ranked fourth nationwide in the latest SBM Health Preparedness Index (HPI), marking a significant rise from its 15th position in 2023.
In a statement issued by Bukola Abdulganiyu, Press Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), the SBM Health Preparedness Index measures the capacity of Nigeria’s 36 states to respond effectively to health emergencies and provide quality healthcare services.
It draws data from credible sources such as the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), World Health Organisation (WHO), The Lancet, Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), BudgIT, The Cable, the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Radboud University, and the Global Data Lab.
The Commissioner for Finance, Dr Hauwa Nuru, attributed the improvement in Kwara’s ranking to stronger budgeting systems, prudent financial management, and sustained investments in healthcare infrastructure under the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
She noted that the government’s emphasis on fiscal discipline and transparent resource allocation has led to measurable progress in the state’s health outcomes.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-Imam, commended the Governor’s leadership and commitment to transforming the health sector through infrastructure renewal, capacity building, and improved service delivery.
According to Dr El-Imam, the latest HPI assessed indicators such as health budget performance, human capital development, doctor-to-population ratio, infant and child mortality, life expectancy, and immunisation coverage — parameters that reflect how effectively states are improving their health systems.
The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, said the ranking is a testament to the Governor’s consistent investment and reforms in the health sector.
She added that the state’s improved performance in immunisation coverage, human capital development, and life expectancy demonstrates the success of the administration’s people-centred policies.
It would be recalled that Kwara was recently ranked the safest state for a child to be born in Nigeria, with the lowest under-five mortality rate of 14 per 1,000 live births, according to the 2023/2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
The new ranking consolidates Kwara’s position among the top-performing states in the country, reinforcing its status as a model for progressive governance, accountability, and sustainable health system development.
