…as Government of beneficiary states reiterated commitment to sustainability programme.
The Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization (GAVI) organised a significant dissemination programme at the Frazer Suites in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to mark the closure of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and eight beneficiary states, including Gombe State.
The event, which took place over the course of a day, culminated in a dinner celebration of the successful collaboration.
The dissemination programme began with a morning session, which had the deputy governor of Gombe state in attendance and later an evening session attended by deputy governors from the beneficiary states, including Bayelsa, Gombe, Niger, Taraba, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kebbi, and Katsina. The programme emphasised the achievements of the partnership, highlighting the progress made towards strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
During the morning session, Gombe State’s Deputy Governor, Manassah Daniel Jatau,Ph .D, expressed gratitude for GAVI’s interventions and the significant contributions of other development partners to the health sector in Nigeria. He stressed the importance of sustaining the lessons learned and the successes achieved through the collaboration between GAVI, other development partners, the beneficiary states, and the federal government.
Dr. Jatau highlighted the need for further collaboration in sourcing affordable, locally derived medicines, specifically focusing on utilising local herbs to reduce dependency on costly imported drugs. He emphasised that mortality rates often rise not from a lack of knowledge of diseases but from the unaffordability and inaccessibility of necessary treatments owing to high cost of imported drugs.
The Deputy Governor also advocated for applying the system theory, which recognises the potential of everyone, including the socially hard-to-reach communities, and involves them in development efforts. He emphasised Gombe State’s inclusive approach, which engages traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil society organisations to drive health goals.
Furthermore, Dr. Jatau underlined the importance of ensuring that health interventions are sustainable, citing that donor fatigue, doubt, and withdrawal could be dangerous to the people where there is over reliance on interventions. He stressed the need for continued partnership with development organisations to reinforce primary healthcare systems in Gombe State and beyond.
The evening dinner saw Bayelsa’s Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewujoka, who remarked on behalf of other deputy governors commended GAVI and the other development partners for their ongoing support in building a robust primary healthcare system. He assured the group of the state governors’ commitment to maintaining the momentum of the MoU’s success.
Senator Ewujoka also called for the continuation of partnerships between GAVI and other development partners to further benefit Nigeria’s health sector and the beneficiary states.
In addition to the speeches, the event also featured goodwill messages from several distinguished individuals, including Muyiwa Aina, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, who represented Dr. Ali Pate, the Federal Minister of Health. Representatives from UNICEF, WHO, SOLINA, and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum also conveyed their support.
The Gombe delegation was well-represented at the event, with key figures such as Dr. Habu Dahiru, Commissioner of Health in Gombe State, who participated in a plenary presentation on leadership in health systems strengthening. Dr. Abdulrahman Shua’ibu, Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, also participated, alongside directors from both the Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Development Agency. Their contributions were integral in discussing governance, leadership, and interventions aimed at enhancing health outcomes in the beneficiary states.
The successful dissemination programme underscored the vital role of collaboration between governments and development partners in advancing public health, ensuring the sustainability of health programmes, and improving healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
Jack.A.Tasha
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity,
(Deputy Governor’s office)
