The federal government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have commended Governor Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe State for his administration’s strides in strengthening the healthcare system in the state.
This achievements are due to significant increases in healthcare funding and the revitalization of primary healthcare centres across the state, positioning Gombe State as a model for healthcare reform in Nigeria.
The commendation came during a courtesy visit by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, and Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation.
Their visit was part of ongoing engagements with state governments to support the implementation of the National Health Sector Renewal and Investment Initiative, launched by President Bola Tinubu.
Prof. Pate praised Gov. Yahaya’s leadership, citing data from the National Demographic Health Survey that showed remarkable improvements in key health indicators between 2018 and 2023.
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“The achievements in Gombe State are commendable. Deliveries by skilled birth attendants have doubled from 19 percent to 38 percent, the first dose of the Penta vaccine saw a 78 percent increase, while the third dose rose by 131 percent.
“Additionally, full immunization rates jumped by 170 percent, and the modern contraceptive prevalence rate improved by 88 percent, from 16 percent to 30 percent,” the minister stated.
Prof. Pate attributed these successes to the state’s commitment to healthcare investment, highlighting an 82 percent increase in the health budget since 2023.
“Your leadership and investment in healthcare are evident. Gombe has set a standard that other states can learn from,” he added.
Chris Elias of the Gates Foundation also lauded Gombe’s healthcare leadership, particularly its focus on sustainable reforms and increased budgetary allocations.
“We have been following the impressive progress in Gombe’s healthcare system,” Elias said. “This visit allows us to learn from the state’s successes and explore further areas of collaboration to achieve even better outcomes.”
Responding, Gov. Yahaya outlined the challenges his administration faced upon assuming office in 2019, including inadequate infrastructure, manpower shortages, and low funding.
“When we took office, healthcare had only a 3.5 percent budgetary allocation. The system was in dire need of intervention, so we declared a state of emergency, conducted a comprehensive needs assessment, and implemented necessary reforms,” he recalled.
To improve accountability, he said his administration introduced a biometric attendance system to monitor healthcare workers, and ensure efficient service delivery.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to expanding collaborations with the federal government, and development partners, the governor pledged to sustain healthcare investments.
“We deeply appreciate the support of the federal government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Our administration remains committed to ensuring that all residents of Gombe have access to quality and affordable healthcare services,” he stated.
