As Gov. Buni receives immunization performance award, by Suleiman Dauda
His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Yobe State Honourable Mai Mala Buni has received a significant and impactful award for demonstrating strong governance and leadership in the health sector.
The award was handed to Governor Buni in an elaborate ceremony in Abuja by the Director General of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency on Friday 26th August 2022.
Under the leadership of Governor Buni and the current Honourable Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Muhammad Lawan Gana, Yobe State has emerged the most improved state in Nigeria for routine immunization.
With significant and impressive improvement from 9% in 2016 to 65% in 2021, which is one important result out of other landmark achievements of the ongoing transformation in the health sector under His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.
As a globally accepted strategy of filling data gaps for monitoring human development indicators in general and the situation of children and women in particular. On Tuesday 16th August 2022, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, unveiled 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) alongside the National Immunisation Coverage (NIC) Survey Report. Represented by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.
The world has waited long enough for high-performing Primary Health Care (PHC) as a foundation of health systems, ensuring all people stay healthy and get care when they need it. Primary health care connects people and families with trusted first level health workers and supportive systems to address most of citizens health needs throughout their lives.
Yobe State under His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni is pursuing wholistic agenda in the health sector which anchors on revitalisation of Primary Healthcare systems; increasing secondary and tertiary healthcare scope and it’s coverage; progressively improving access, functionality and standardization/quality of service; Scaling up population coverage and providing financial risk protection; paying greater emphasis on result, efficiency and data; and most importantly pro poor health care targeted access across the state.
The health sector in Yobe State is witnessing massive transformation in various areas that includes infrastructural upgrade, with twelve general hospitals, five Specialist Hospitals and one University Teaching Hospital in the state. Also, the state upgraded 138 out of 178 focal PHCCs to conform with National standards, constructed 200 bed capacity maternity complex.
Others include construction of 30 room house officers’ quarters, doctors’ quarters, medical students hostels, lecture theatres, admin blocks with commiserate furnishing and equipment, construction of a 200-bed capacity isolation centre and 3 zonal isolation centres and rehabilitation, the upgrade and construction of stores and warehouses to meet up with pharma grade standard in the state among others.
Equally of high importance, the administration of Governor Buni established Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA) and YOBE Drugs and Medical Consumables management Agency (YODMA) to pursue the state health financing agenda and ensure sustainable availability of high-quality drugs and medical consumables respectively in the state. Worthy of mention and commendation is the continuous support and collaborative working partnership with various development partners in the state.
Therefore, Yobe State health sector under his excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni, and the Commissioner of Health Dr Muhammad Lawan Gana has remained totally focused on the health and wellbeing of citizens in the last few years, and the administration is consolidating and improving on all the past and present achievements in the sector for the benefit of Yobe State. This is in line with His Excellency’s determination and the administration’s political aspiration of putting the state at par with national and global best practices.
