The Yobe State Government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have pledged to improve their collaboration in primary healthcare, especially in the area of Routine Immunization (RI) as the state makes progress as the “most improved state in RI.”
The commitment on the partnership followed a visit by the Foundation’s Deputy Country Director, Mrs. Caroline Jehu-Appiah, to Governor Mai Mala Buni, at the Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, yesterday.
Jehu-Appiah was accompanied by the Foundation’s Lead on Immunization, Mr. Yusuf Yusufari and the Lead on Agriculture, Dr. Audu Grema.
Governor Buni appreciated the efforts of the Foundation to end the occurrence of the Wild Polio Virus in the country and tackle other child-killer diseases.
He said Yobe State Government would meet all its counterpart funding obligations and ensure that primary healthcare delivery is strengthened and expanded.
According to him, at his inaugural address, he reiterated the desire to prioritize healthcare, specifically primary health care and have a vision to establish functional Primary Health Centres in all of the 176 wards in the state.
Governor Buni also said that the state government is ready to partner the Foundation in the area of agricultural development and food production.
Mrs. Jehu-Appiah asked that the governor approves more funds for polio campaigns and ginger local government chairmen, traditional and community leaders to continue to mobilise their communities for a strong primary healthcare system.
The Foundation’s Lead on Agriculture, Dr. Audu Grema said that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is keen to partner Yobe in agriculture, especially in rice production.
