Kogi State is located in the North – Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It had an estimated population of 3,314,043 based on the 2006 national census with a growth rate projection of 3%. The State has a land mass of 29,838 square km and a population density of 110 people per square km. The State is divided into 21 Local Government areas (LGA) and 3 senatorial districts – East, West and Central.
Agriculture is the main occupation of the people of the State.
The Health System comprises three governance structures under the leadership of the Honorable Commissioner for Health. The State Ministry of Health (SMOH) which is responsible for policy formulation, planning, monitoring and evaluation of activities; the Hospitals Management Board (HMB) which implements secondary health care services and manages human resources at the secondary level; and the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) which implements the policies related to primary health care and manages human resources at the primary level.
The State Primary Health Care Development Agency which is headed by the Executive Director is made up of Departments of Administration and Finance, Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Community Health Services and Social Development and Disease control and Immunization.
There are 838 Primary Health Care facilities in the State. The Primary Health Care facilities are offering services such as Health education, maternal and child health ( safe motherhood and child survival), immunization, water and sanitation, food and nutrition, provision of essential drugs, control of endemic / epidemic diseases and basic curative services. Cases that cannot be treated at this level are referred to secondary health facilities or tertiary health facilities.