From Sa’adatu MAINA, Damaturu
The achievement made by Yobe State Government in Primary Healthcare delivery particularly in routine immunization and primary healthcare delivery has received commendations from their major partners; Bill Gate, Aliko Dangote and (UNICEF).
This commendation came at the 2019 end of year review of Routine Immunization/ Primary Health Care performance in the state under the tripartite (MoU) between Bill Malinda and Gates Foundation and Dangote Foundation.
The meeting which was held via a video conference talk was joined by Mr Aliko Dangote, the representative of Bill Malinda and Gates Foundation, Mr Chris Elias who is the President Global Development Division of the Foundation with the Minister of Health Dr Osagie Ehanire joining from Abuja.
In his comments, Mr. Dangote was particularly pleased with the steps that Yobe State has taken to close the gap between demand and supply by leveraging on the local communities on routine immunization.
Mr Dangote also praised Yobe for the establishment of a Data Control Room just as he calls for its strengthening and sustainability.
He advised the state to leverage on the (MoU) between his foundation and Bill Gates so as to achieve 100 per cent coverage of immunization in the state.
In his remarks, who represented Bill Gates at the event also lauded Yobe’s commitment and tremendous progress in the coverage of immunization
The Co-chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Bill Gates who was represented by the president, Global Development Division of the foundation, Mr Chris Elias, also commended Yobe for the progress made on Routine Immunization and other Primary Health Care services.
He praised the show of leadership by Governor Mai Mala Buni for his sincere commitment to improving the health sector through the (MoU).
The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire who joined the conversation from Abuja said he was impressed by the smart initiative of the Wakilin Lafiya (Health Ambassador) adopted by the state government.
While giving an overview of the performance, the Honourable Commissioner for Health in Yobe state, Dr Muhammad Lawan Gana said the MoU has placed Yobe among the best-performing state in the country in immunization coverage and primary he and that the state was able to sustain the tempo.
The Honourable Commissioner emphasized that 89 per cent of identified defaulters were tracked and immunized through the intensified defaulter tracking exercise across the 17 local government areas in the state.
He added that 47 high volume (PHCs) have increased the frequency of RI sessions, in addition to secondary and tertiary health facilities that provide daily fixed sessions.
The Commissioner also disclosed that “additional high volume PHCs will be engaged in the coming weeks”, stressing that, “State Primary Health Care Management Board has engaged 1, 317 health Ambassadors (Wakilin Lafiya) in 3 LGAs to support the Mai Unguwas and religious leaders from the State Ministry of Religious Affairs to conduct community engagement activities in the concerned LGAs”.
Delivering his speech, the Yobe state Governor, His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni said that the partnership with the two foundations (BMGF and ADF) is a partnership that is built on mutual trust and mutual recognition in which everyone has a stake in working to ensure healthier and wealthier societies in a global world.
Governor Mai Mala Buni acknowledge the steady progress made in strengthening routine Immunization in Yobe state and said that it is because of the support rendered by Bill and Melinda Gates and Aliko Dangote Foundations assured partners that the drop from 14 per cent to 11 per cent for Yobe’s budgetary allocation in the healthcare sector would be reversed in the next budget circle.
He vowed that “Yobe state is committed to a stellar budget performance for the healthcare sector by ensuring timely releases of budgeted funds”.
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