Gombe, UNICEF, GAVI Celebrate MoU Achievements On Primary Healthcare
By Najib Sani, Gombe
Gombe State Government, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and GAVI on Friday celebrated achievements of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) implemented by the three partners on boosting primary health care in the state.
During the event tagged “GAVI-PHC MoU Handover and Way Forward” held at Gombe Government House, the UNICEF’s Chief of Bauchi Field Office which is in charge of Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Adamawa and Taraba states, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, said Gombe State has made remarkable strides in strengthening its healthcare system in the past couple of years.
She explained that the programme, which was launched in 2022 and ended in 2025, has yielded impressive results, improving the health and well-being of citizens across the state.
According to her, one of the successes of the programme was the recruitment and deployment of 440 trained health workers across 114 wards of the state.
“This has ensured that at least two skilled health workers are available to support maternal and newborn services in each ward,” she said.
She added that the programme has improved vaccine access with the renovation of 11 local government area cold stores and five Primary Health Centres and procured and distributed two vehicles, 40 motorcycles, and 140 cold chain equipment to enhance the state’s vaccine management and distribution system.
“The programme has also increased health insurance coverage, with 24,874 vulnerable women and children enrolled in the health insurance scheme in 4 priority zero-dose LGAs.
“The percentage of pregnant women supported by skilled health workers has increased from 21.1% to 37.9%, while the percentage of women receiving postnatal checks has risen from 25.1% to 44.9%. Children’s immunisation increased from 33.3 to 66.0”.
Also speaking, the state governor Inuwa Yahaya, represented by the secretary to the state government, Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, said the impact of the programme is evident in the improved health outcomes recorded in the state.
