Banguji Community, home to the Bangwinji ethnic group, is located in the southern part of Gombe State, Nigeria, within Shongom Local Government Area. The Banguji Community Primary Health Centre (PHC), which serves an estimated population of about 14,000 people in the community, had deteriorated significantly over time and required urgent repairs to restore it to a functional state.

Prior to intervention, the facility was in poor condition. The roof leaked during rainfall, which damaged parts of the building and disrupted healthcare services, particularly during the rainy season. The deteriorating infrastructure made the environment unsuitable for effective service delivery and reduced community confidence in the facility.

Through BudgIT’s Strengthening Community Engagement and Accountability Project (SCEAP), implemented between 2023 and 2024, WOWICAN, a community-based organisation in Gombe State, was engaged to serve as an interface between the PHC facility and members of the community. The engagement focused on strengthening community participation, facilitating dialogue between citizens and health authorities, and highlighting service delivery gaps within the primary healthcare system.

Following sustained advocacy efforts by WOWICAN, community representatives, and other health stakeholders, the situation began to change. In 2026, two years after the SCEAP implementation in Gombe State, the state government initiated an intervention to revitalise the Banguji PHC facility as part of a broader initiative to upgrade primary healthcare facilities across the state.

Access to quality primary healthcare services remains a key priority in Gombe State, particularly for rural and underserved communities. During the course of the SCEAP project, stakeholder engagements and knowledge-sharing sessions were held with government health authorities. These sessions presented evidence and highlighted service delivery gaps identified during project implementation. As a result, the state government, alongside development partners, committed resources toward strengthening primary healthcare infrastructure and service delivery across the state.

The revitalisation of the Banguji PHC facility formed part of a broader state-wide effort to improve healthcare access and ensure communities can receive essential services closer to home.

Below are photos of the Banguji PHC Facility prior to the SCEAP Project in 2023.

Before the renovation of the Banguji PHC facility, residents of the community faced significant barriers to accessing healthcare. Many patients had to travel long distances to seek medical attention in neighbouring towns or at the local government headquarters. Pregnant women, children, and elderly residents were particularly affected by the lack of accessible healthcare services.

The poor state of the facility discouraged residents from seeking treatment locally, further increasing health risks and delaying access to critical medical services.

The renovation of the Banguji Primary Health Centre forms part of a broader state-wide initiative to revitalise 228 PHC facilities (two per ward) under the current administration in Gombe State.

Through this initiative, several PHC facilities across the state have either been newly constructed or revitalised to ensure that communities receive quality and affordable healthcare services within a reasonable distance from their homes.

These improvements contribute to Nigeria’s broader commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and to strengthening primary healthcare systems across the country.

Following the renovation, the Banguji PHC facility now has an improved and functional structure. In addition to the infrastructure upgrades, additional healthcare workers, including Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), nurses, and midwives, were deployed to the facility to strengthen service delivery and ensure the community receives adequate medical support.

Since the completion of the renovation, the Banguji PHC facility has become more accessible and functional for the community it serves.

Residents now have access to 24-hour healthcare services, enabling them to receive medical attention when needed without travelling long distances. Antenatal care attendance among pregnant women has increased, while immunisation coverage for children has improved significantly. The revitalisation of the facility has also strengthened community trust in the formal healthcare system.

Across Gombe State, similar PHC upgrades have helped bring healthcare services closer to communities by ensuring that at least one functional PHC facility exists in each ward.

Community Testimonials

“Before this facility was renovated, we had to travel far to receive treatment. Now our children can receive immunisation, and women can safely deliver in our community PHC.” — Community Leader, Banguji Community

Mrs Esther Bassey George, Programme Manager of WOWICAN, also expressed her satisfaction with the progress made following the advocacy efforts under the SCEAP project.

“Our advocacy efforts produced positive results. Today, improvements are being extended to several PHCs across Gombe State, which benefits communities like ours. Ward Development Committees (WDCs) are still actively meeting and continuing their engagement and advocacy efforts to sustain these improvements.”

Lessons Learned

The experience from the Banguji PHC revitalisation highlights several important lessons:

• Improvements in infrastructure and service delivery can significantly increase community access to healthcare services.
• Strong government commitment is essential for sustaining primary healthcare development.
• Community engagement and participation strengthen ownership and accountability in healthcare delivery systems.

Photos from Banguji PHC Facility below: