26th February, 2020
Dangote, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations have commended Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje for ensuring quality healthcare service delivery in Kano State.
The Foundations made the commendation during the 2019 End of Year Health System Strengthening Programme Review Meeting, held through video conference via Skype, at Africa House, Government House, Kano.
Ameen Yassar, Director General Media to the governor, made the disclosure in a statement on Wednesday in Kano.
Yassar said the President of the Foundations, Aliko Dangote and Bill Gates, expressed delight over the governor’s commitment toward enhancing access to quality healthcare service delivery in the state.
He said that the philanthropists who are partners in polio eradication and healthcare delivery in the state also tasked the governor to do more in enhancing access quality healthcare services in the state.
Yassar added that the duo also lauded the governor over the implementation of innovative programmes designed to improve the health system and strengthening community engagement to facilitate successful conduct of routine immunisation.
The director quoted Dangote as expressing happiness over remarkable achievements recorded in terms of data quality and encouraged health team to work towards the development of a robust data quality improvement plan before the end of the year.
Accordingly; Dangote said: “Kano health team should target their goals to reduce discrepancies between administrative and survey data for key health indices.
“Kano made deliberate efforts to ensure community engagement gains from polio and routine immunisation are maintained, as we transition to integrated PHC service delivery in the state. It is, therefore, good to hear community linkage strengthening being highlighted as an area to prioritize during the last Primary Healthcare (PHC) summit.
“On financing and financial management; it is good that the state has sustained its record of timely retirement of funds in the health system strengthening programme, I encourage the team to review the current approach to monitor timely implementation of a work plan and utilisation of programme funds for impact.
“I will not relent but continue to talk about the programme data. I, therefore, encourage Kano to develop and implement data quality improvement plan at all health facilities that connect to local government areas, zones and state mentoring plans, and also be sure that the plans do not only address capacity gaps, also work to improve behaviours around data inflation”.
Also speaking, Gates, who was represented by Chris Elias, President Global Development Fund, congratulated Ganduje for remaining on track of a robust health programme since the tripartite partnership between the state government, Dangote, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations since inception in 2012.
Gates was quoted as saying: “This is a highlight of political commitment; it is remarkable to see the success made in the successful implementation of the Seattle resolutions agreed back in November 2019 with particular reference to the commitment by His Excellency to complete transfer of salaries of PHC staff to the State Primary Health Care Management Agency (PHCDA) by March 2020.
“Other areas we noted success and worth commending include a more realistic costing of the minimum service package which will help fast track implementation of Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) components.
”I am quite happy to note the good work around the 2-way referral linkages; so great to hear about the increased number of successful 2-way referrals from primary to secondary health facilities from 26 complete referrals during the pilot stage in Q1 2019 to 1, 225 in Q4 2019.
“Great to hear the continuous efforts to finish the polio work especially with timely disbursement of counterpart fund for SIA campaigns but more needs to be done at this critical time particularly with the attendance of the local councils’ chairmen at the evening review meetings.
“These activities are very critical to success as we aim towards having Nigeria certified polio-free”.
On his part, Ganduje promised to fill the gaps identified in the meeting, adding that: “The state will scale up existing referrals network services between primary and secondary health centres, implement resolutions of the 2020 Primary Health Care Summit with emphasis on rationalization of the minimum service package investment plan.”
Other highlights of the meeting included remarks by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Executive Secretary, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shu’aib and Emir of Bichi, Aminu Bayero.