ABUJA — The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced an investigation into the alleged disappearance of 13,350 diapers intended for antenatal care at a Primary Health Centre in Sambawa community, Kebbi State. The ICPC has vowed to uncover the details of the missing items and hold those responsible accountable.
The Chairman of the ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu, made this announcement during a one-day conference organized by the commission in Abuja on Thursday. The conference, themed “Engendering Corruption-Free Primary Health Care Delivery For All,” was aimed at addressing corruption within the health sector.
“Recently, the Sambawa community in Kebbi State sent a petition to us regarding missing antenatal care items for pregnant women and newborn babies donated to a healthcare facility,” Dr. Adamu stated. “Our preliminary investigation indicated that 13,350 pieces of diapers allocated to the Sambawa Primary Healthcare Centre are missing, while an investigation by the Kebbi State Primary Healthcare Agency puts the figure at 3,466.”
Dr. Adamu revealed that two staff members of the Sambawa Primary Healthcare Centre, one male and one female, have been implicated in the case. The ICPC is determined to investigate the criminal conduct thoroughly and bring the culprits to justice.
The chairman highlighted the increasing interest of communities and civil society organizations in tackling corruption in the health sector. He noted that the commission is implementing measures to ensure corruption-free primary healthcare delivery across the country.
The conference was part of the ICPC’s efforts to enlist and foster public support in combating corruption in the nation. Dr. Adamu emphasized that the discussions at the conference would help improve service delivery and eliminate opportunities for corrupt practices in the health sector.
“This has become necessary considering the sector’s critical nature and its role in ensuring a healthy society at all levels,” Dr. Adamu said. He explained that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was chosen as the pilot for this nationwide conversation to create a template that could be replicated across all six geopolitical zones of the federation.
Participants in the conference included community healthcare stakeholders who were expected to collaborate on improving the effectiveness of primary healthcare service delivery. Dr. Adamu also mentioned that Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed at the conference would provide opportunities for sharing anti-corruption ideas and harnessing resources to address issues hindering a corruption-free healthcare system in Nigeria.
Speaking at the conference, the Minister of Health, Muhammed Ali Pate, acknowledged the multifaceted challenges, including corruption, facing the nation’s Primary Health Care (PHC) system. He emphasized the need for urgent action to tackle these issues and strengthen regulatory bodies to prevent them from becoming corrupt.
Dr. Pate noted, “Corruption in the health sector cannot be isolated from other sectors. It’s a systemic and multi-institutional challenge. This conversation will determine what to do about it.”
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr. Chris Isiguzo, also addressed the conference, stressing the importance of primary health care as the foundation of any nation’s health system. He warned that corruption in this sector diverts essential resources, erodes public trust, compromises care quality, and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations.
Dr. Isiguzo reiterated the union’s commitment to fighting corruption across the nation.
The conference was attended by representatives from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), United Nations Development Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Health Organization (WHO), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), and National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
