UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, represented by Micheal Juma, has lauded the Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris’ commitment to improving the health standard of the people.
Juma cited the improved immunization coverage, enhanced PHC services, and a notable reduction in neonatal mortality from 55% to 49% and under-5 mortality from 252 to 159 per 1,000 live births between 2018 and 2024 as great achievements in the state’s health indices.
He urged the Governor to sustain these achievements by further increasing budgetary allocations to the health sector while commending Dr. Idris for raising the health budget from 7% to 10%.
The representative of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Maryam Yahaya, also praised the Governor’s dedication to improving health indices in the state and called for continued investment in the PHC sector.
The commendation was given in Birnin Kebbi during the PHC-MOU Close-Out ceremony and the official handover of GAVI projects under the NGF/GAVI/UNICEF Agreement.
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In his remarks Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, reiterated his administration’s unwavering commitment to providing quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare services to the people of the state.
Idris highlighted the remarkable strides made in the health sector over the past 18 months, emphasizing the state government’s substantial investments in line with global best practices.
He revealed that six General Hospitals across the state’s four Emirates have been upgraded, while ultra-modern ambulances have been deployed to improve the referral system.
The Kebbi State Contributory Health Agency has also been empowered to ease the financial burden of healthcare on citizens.
Furthermore, the Governor disclosed that several Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) are being renovated, and free delivery kits are being provided to pregnant women. These initiatives are designed to help Kebbi achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030 and align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative.
Dr. Idris announced plans to employ 500 additional health professionals and absorb 309 GAVI-supported staff into the state’s workforce.
He also confirmed the alignment of health workers’ salaries with the health sector salary structure.
The Governor commended the MOU’s impact, which has significantly enhanced healthcare delivery in Kebbi State over the past three years.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
