Yobe State Government, Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation To Strengthen Partnership In Healthcare, Agriculture
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 to build on the partnership between the sides follows a visit that Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation’s Deputy Country Director Caroline Jehu-Appiah paid to Governor Mai Mala Buni at the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja today.
Mrs. Jehu-Appiah was accompanied by the Foundation’s Lead on Immunization, Mr. Yusuf Yusufari and the Lead on Agriculture, Dr. Audu Grema.
Governor Buni, who appreciates the effort of the Foundation to end the occurrence of the Wild Polio Virus in the country and tackle other child-killer diseases, said that the Yobe State Government will meet all its counterpart funding obligations and would double down on its collaboration to ensure that primary healthcare delivery is strengthened and expanded.
“In my inaugural address, I have reiterated my desire to prioritize healthcare, specifically primary health care and I have a vision to establish a functional PHC in all of the176 wards in the state. Our administration is an administration of continuity and consolidation; therefore, we are going to do even more to triple or quadruple the extent of our collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation”, the governor said.
Governor Buni also said that the state government is ready to partner with the Foundation in the area of agricultural development and food production.
“Agriculture is a force-multiplier. It is an area that has the greatest prospect for improving our economy and creating jobs for our people. Our intention is to use agriculture to empower our youths by helping them to cultivate and become self-reliant”, the governor said.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Deputy Country Director, on her part, expressed appreciation for the commitment that Yobe has shown in improving Routine Immunization.
Mrs. Jehu-Appiah asked that the governor approves more funds for local polio campaigns and ginger local government chairmen and traditional and community leaders to continue to mobilise their communities on behalf of 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.
