Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has acknowledged the intervention of the World Bank and other donor agencies in the areas of Health, Education, Water Resources and Youth empowerment pledging that his administration will partner with them to achieve success.
The Governor also reaffirmed his administration’s determination towards achieving Universal Healthcare Coverage in the state stressing that a healthy citizenry is a wealthy nation.
The Governor said this on Saturday during the official flag-off ceremony for the new scale-up of the Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP) held at Kirfi Local Government Area of the state.
Bala Mohammed said with the new scale-up local government areas, the state now has 203 health centres in ten local government areas benefiting from the project and appealed to the initiators of the Nigeria State Health Investment Project to consider the involvement of the remaining Ten Local Government Areas assuring that state counterpart funding for the project would be provided.
The Governor also noted that the project has assisted in improving healthcare service delivery and renovation of health facilities assuring people of the state of the readiness of his administration to provide them with qualitative and affordable healthcare services.
The Governor who disclosed that N63 million has been allocated for the new scale-up local government areas admonished the management of Primary Health Centers to ensure prudent management of the resources.
He assured that the present administration in the state would provide Social Health Insurance to over five thousand vulnerable members of the society in order to have access to healthcare services.
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In a keynote address, NSHIP National Coordinator, Hajiya Binta Isma’il, noted that the project has made a significant improvement in the health sector beyond service provision, an effective collaboration by health facility and health workers and expressed optimism that Bauchi State will adopt measures to transform its health sector.
While applauding the efforts of Governor Mohammed towards improving primary healthcare in the state, Hajiya Binta Isma’il explained that currently NSHIP is being implemented in 8 selected states covering about 2000 health facilities.
The Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Dr Yahaya Yarima said that already the state government has taken measures to achieve universal healthcare coverage in the state.
Earlier, the Acting Executive Secretary, State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Alhaji Bello Mustafa said the state keyed into the project in 2017 and it was allocated with 17.69 million dollars.
Bello Mustafa who noted that the project has recorded remarkable achievements in the state said that the benefiting local government areas are, Bauchi, Dass, Katagum, Misau, Toro, Gamawa, Darazo, Kirfi, Itas Gadau and Ningi.
It will be recalled that NSHIP which is an initiative of the Federal Government in collaboration with the World Bank is being implemented with a view to introducing a new innovative approach towards financing healthcare delivery services in the country.
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