Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
Bauchi Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed on Thursday evening reassured stakeholders in the Health sector of the commitment of his administration to sustain adequate healthcare budget allocation with timely release of the funds allocated.
The Governor who was speaking at the teleconference of the 2020 Mid-Year Review Meeting with Development Partners on Primary Healthcare Program held at Emergency Operations Centre, Bauchi emphasised that “My administration is committed to ensuring availability of essential healthcare services to citizens”.
Governor Bala Mohammed said his administration will work assiduously towards improving timeliness and adequacy of budget release in order to meet the minimum service package (MSP) implementation target.
He said the administration is committed to ensuring availability of essential health care services to its populace and building a resilient PHC system especially in light of the current health realities.
According to him, despite the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on economy, the state government has manage to put some token amount in to the MoU basket with the hope of dropping the remaining amount by the end of September, 2020.
“All praises be to Almighty Allah by whose grace we are gathered here again to mark another milestone in our efforts to deliver effective and efficient health care services to the door step of our people.”
“This is the fourth review under the Integrated Primary Health Care Memorandum of Understanding and we are delighted with the efforts to sustain service availability despite in these unprecedented times.”
On Human Resource for Health, the Governor who acknowledged the gap in the health workforce, said his administration will recruit frontline health care workers to address the Human Resource gaps.
He said the administration has remained cognizant of the commitments made in Seattle in November 2019 as it is currently working to ensure full implementation of the outstanding resolutions; including filling the outstanding gaps identified from the PHC Under One Roof scorecard assessment and optimizing funding and oversight on the healthcare system.
Governor Bala Mohammed appreciated the continued support of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), USAID, UNICEF and other partners implementing Primary Healthcare program in Bauchi State.
“We appreciate all our development partners, our traditional leaders, religious leaders and our hardworking health team for the tireless efforts you continually put in, to strengthening our health system and improving the health of our citizenry, especially on the fight and successful eradication of Polio in the State, the Nation and African region at large.”
The Governor noted with delight, the continued commitment of traditional and religious institutions in supporting the implementation of the PHC program as well as the efforts instituted to promote demand for essential services and awareness on COVID-19.
“I congratulate each and every one of us in our efforts in achieving some of our agreed milestones despite the COVID-19 pandemic which has impacted the availability and demand for essential PHC services Bauchi.”
“The pandemic has led to a decline in the state IGR and urgent need to repurpose available funds for the COVID-19 response which contributed to the untimely release of the state 2020 PHC counterpart funds.”
The Chairman, Aiko Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote commended the Bauchi State Government for strengthening Primary Healthcare delivery in the state through various community initiatives.
Aliko Dangote appealed to the Governor to ensure timely release of Primary Healthcare budget for effective delivery of essential services to the citizens.
Mr Bill Gates on his part, congratulated the state on the milestone in polio eradication called for its sustenance by coming up with sustainable policies and projects.
In his contribution, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire appreciated the efforts of Governor Bala Mohammed towards improving primary healthcare delivery and the management of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister enjoined the state government to fast track the implementation of all policies and programmes in the health sector for effective service delivery.
Others who spoke are representatives of USAID, UNICEF, Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Chairman Emirates’ Council on Health and State Commissioner for Health. END