Becky Maina
The Gombe State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the health sector through sustained investment in infrastructure, capacity building, logistics and other interventions aimed at improving healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Deputy Governor Manassah Daniel Jatau stated this on Thursday while declaring open the Gombe State Quality Improvement Stakeholders’ “Pause and Reflect” meeting organised by Jhpiego at Flourish Hotel, Gombe.
Jatau said the meeting provided an opportunity for stakeholders to review the progress, results, sustainability and challenges associated with health interventions implemented in the state.
He said the state government’s deliberate investment in health infrastructure, capacity building for health workers, logistics and road construction had contributed to faster and more accessible healthcare delivery.
According to him, “Jhpiego’s contribution to improving healthcare delivery across the state is laudable, effective and impactful.”
The Deputy Governor expressed appreciation to Jhpiego and other development partners for their continued support to the health sector, urging stakeholders to pay particular attention to the gaps and challenges identified during the review.
He assured that the government would continue to work with development partners to address identified challenges and strengthen healthcare delivery across the state.
Jatau also called for increased support for research and innovation, particularly in the development of vaccines, medicines and medical consumables from locally available resources.
He noted that such initiatives would help reduce the cost of healthcare, minimise dependence on imported remedies and promote sustainable solutions to healthcare challenges.
In separate remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Danladi Bojude, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Yambiyu Yakubu, and the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Shua’ibu Abdulrahman, represented by Dr. Maryam Abubakar, described the partnership between Jhpiego and the state government as worthwhile.
They said the “Pause and Reflect” meeting offered stakeholders an opportunity to assess achievements, identify challenges and determine areas requiring further improvement.
The Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation and immediate past Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, recalled that the collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Jhpiego began in Akko, Yamaltu-Deba and Gombe Local Government Areas before expanding to other parts of the state.
Dahiru said the presence of Jhpiego within the Ministry of Health was deliberate and aimed at promoting effective communication, knowledge sharing and greater impact.
He commended the organisation for strengthening the capacity of health workers through workshops and seminars, saying the interventions had contributed to improved health indicators in the state.
The Jhpiego Country Representative, Dr. Adetiloye Oniyire, represented by Barrister Oris Ikkide, commended the Gombe State Government for its commitment to healthcare delivery and environmental cleanliness across health facilities.
She said Jhpiego had trained primary healthcare workers on Quality Improvement and integrated reproductive health services, among other areas.
Oniyire also highlighted the Com-Watch App developed by Jhpiego to verify the quality and potency of medicines.
She explained that the application was used to assess drugs procured for the Gombe State Central Medical Store and confirmed their authenticity.
“No project can succeed alone,” she said, urging the state government to continue creating opportunities for credible partners to contribute to the development of the state.
Other speakers, including the Executive Secretary of the Hospital Services Management Board, Dr. Bello Abdulkadir; Go-Health representative, Tanimu Umar; and Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr. Lamingo John, described Jhpiego’s contribution to the health sector as significant.
They said the interventions had improved clinical services, patient experience and staff attitudes, while also enhancing immunisation, testing and antenatal care uptake.
Presenting an overview of Jhpiego’s IQ Project implementation, Dr. Ibrahim Nenge, the Jhpiego IQ Project State Team Lead, said the Global Fund-funded project was being implemented across the 11 Local Government Areas of the state, with approximately 77 percent coverage.
He explained that the project focused on malaria, HIV, tuberculosis and reproductive health, attributing much of its success to the involvement of government officials and health facilities.
“About 65 percent of the activities were implemented by relevant government officials and health facilities,” Nenge said.
He, however, identified low antenatal care completion as one of the areas requiring greater attention, noting that the rate was slightly above 45 percent compared with about 56 percent recorded in some states in the region.
He said efforts would be intensified to identify the factors responsible for the low rate and develop appropriate measures to improve antenatal care completion in Gombe State.
The event also featured the presentation of awards to deserving individuals, including Dr. Habu Dahiru, as well as an inspection of the Quality Improvement marketplace and exhibitions showcasing interventions from Local Government Areas across the state.