FG, Kano Govt. Partner To End Polio, Reduce Maternal Mortality
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, has said that the Federal Government is partnering with the Kano State Government to eradicate polio virus in the state.
Pate disclosed this when he led a delegation of the Gates Foundation and the Aliko Dangote Foundation to Kano State on Thursday.
“We are here today along side partners such as Gates foundation, Aliko Dangote foundation to discuss issues of finishing the work of polio eradication and also to address other complementary investments that the Federal Government is making a longside the Kano state Government so that we can improve the health sector and improve the health of Nigerians,” he said.
He expressed concern over the high maternal and newborn mortality rate in the state, disclosing plans for Federal Government intervention, including the establishment of three maternal care centers and the expansion of primary healthcare services.
According to him, the Federal Government is determined to end polio and also address maternal mortality in Kano State as well as improve the health of all Nigerians.
The Minister said this could be achieved through collaborations and participation of the states and local governments.
He said Nigeria’s health sector is undergoing transformation through the health renewal investment initiatives unveiled by President Tinubu, noting that the strategy requires synergy with states and other stakeholders to improve the health of Nigerians.
“Some of the things we are doing include reducing maternal mortality, because many local governments including here in Kano have high level of mothers dying do to pregnancy related issues.
“We are supplementing with the front line health workers, the Kano state Government is also trying to do that; we will provide through the medical relief programme commodities that can ease the pain of Nigerians when they come to access health care services.
“We are also using some of the federal facilities here;we are improving some of the general hospitals; we are able to deliver some of the emergency services for women who need them, as well as teaching hospitals that are supporting the people of Kano in terms of delivering services,” he said.
Receiving the Minister on behalf of Governor Abba Yusuf, the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Faruk Ibrahim, expressed the commitment of the State Government to complement the Federal Government’s efforts to boost healthcare services in the state.
Yusuf noted that previous partnership between Gates and Dangote foundation had yielded positive results in enhancing the state’s health sector.
He, however, said that despite the successes recorded, much need to be done in achieving total eradication of polio in the state.
