Adamawa PHCs Lean On Volunteers As Staffing Crisis Deepens

A growing dependence on volunteer health workers is helping keep primary healthcare centres operational across rural Adamawa, exposing deep workforce shortages and systemic challenges within the state’s healthcare system.

Volunteers Become Lifeline for Rural Health Centres

PRIMARY healthcare centres (PHCs) across rural communities in Adamawa State are increasingly relying on volunteers to sustain essential medical services amid persistent shortages of qualified health workers.

Findings from health facilities in Girei Local Government Area reveal a system under significant strain, where volunteers routinely assist with immunisation, antenatal care, childbirth support, wound management, outpatient consultations and emergency response.

At Damare Primary Health Centre, volunteer health worker Godiya Deborah Umaru recalled a particularly challenging shift when she and a single permanent staff member had to attend to a woman in labour, an accident victim and several other patients simultaneously.

According to her, the workload became overwhelming, forcing some patients to leave due to prolonged waiting times.

Healthcare Workers Forced to Perform Multiple Roles

Health workers across rural facilities say understaffing has transformed daily operations into a constant exercise in multitasking.

At Njobbore PHC, facility manager Pafinus Linus explained that staff members are frequently required to move between units, abandoning assigned responsibilities to attend to emergencies elsewhere.

A worker handling antenatal services may suddenly be called to assist with deliveries, emergency cases, patient records or immunisation activities.

The result, according to health officials, is a healthcare model sustained by continuous task-shifting, often stretching workers beyond their formal training and responsibilities.

Facility managers say volunteers have become indispensable in filling these operational gaps and ensuring that clinics remain functional.

Volunteers Filling Critical Workforce Gaps

Many volunteers serving in rural PHCs are trained health professionals awaiting formal government employment.

Ms Umaru, who graduated in 2024, joined Damare PHC as a volunteer after struggling to secure permanent employment.

Since then, she has become deeply involved in day-to-day clinical activities.

Officials say such arrangements have become common across the state, with graduates in nursing and other health-related disciplines volunteering to gain experience while waiting for recruitment opportunities.

However, opportunities for absorption into the public workforce remain limited.

At Damare PHC, only two volunteers have reportedly secured permanent employment within the last two years.

Health managers argue that volunteers have become vital contributors to healthcare delivery, with some displaying competence comparable to that of permanent staff.

Infrastructure Challenges Compound Pressure

Beyond workforce shortages, many facilities face severe infrastructure deficits.

Health workers report inadequate equipment, insufficient delivery beds, poor lighting and limited emergency response resources.

At both Damare and Njobbore PHCs, managers disclosed that only one delivery bed is available despite growing patient demand.

In some cases, childbirth procedures have reportedly been conducted under lantern light due to unreliable electricity supply.

The lack of basic equipment further increases the burden on already overstretched staff and volunteers.

Government Efforts Yet to Bridge the Gap

Adamawa State authorities acknowledge ongoing workforce shortages despite recent recruitment initiatives.

According to state health planning documents, approximately 1,200 personnel have been recruited into the primary healthcare system in recent years.

Nevertheless, officials admit that staffing levels remain inadequate.

The state currently operates hundreds of PHCs, yet less than one-third of healthcare workers are classified as professional medical personnel.

Health experts warn that unless recruitment, deployment and infrastructure investments are significantly expanded, rural facilities may continue to depend heavily on volunteers to provide essential healthcare services.

Experts Warn of Risks to Patient Care

Public health specialists caution that prolonged reliance on volunteers is not a sustainable solution.

They argue that staff shortages increase the risk of burnout, delayed medical intervention and avoidable clinical errors.

Emergency conditions such as severe bleeding during childbirth, obstructed labour and other life-threatening complications require immediate response, making adequate staffing critical.

Experts insist that strengthening rural healthcare will require not only increased recruitment but also equitable distribution of personnel, improved infrastructure and sustained funding.

As patient demand continues to grow, many rural clinics remain caught between policy ambitions and operational realities.