Bauchi Deputy Gov, Auwal speaks on reducing health Inequality amongst citizens

By: AJIYA AYUBA, Bauchi

The Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Auwal Jatau on Tuesday said that the improved delivery of maternal and child health services contributed to reducing health inequalities in the state.

He said this during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Primary Health Care End-of-Year Retreat and the Quarter-four meeting of the Bauchi State Task Force on Primary Healthcare in Gombe state.

The Nations News Nigeria reports the theme of the Quarter-four meeting is; “Towards achieving Sustainable Primary Health Care Financing in Bauchi State’.

He said that the theme is timely and crucial, as sustainable financing is the foundation upon which the future of primary healthcare will be built thereby providing consistent, affordable, and quality health services to the people, especially the most vulnerable members of the society.

He said “I am happy that we have made notable progress in advancing primary healthcare in our dear Bauchi State. We have strengthened our healthcare infrastructure, expanded access to essential health services,

“However, despite these successes, there are still significant challenges we face. The healthcare system in our state, like in many parts of Nigeria, continues to be overstretched.These challenges demand a comprehensive and collaborative approach from all stakeholders, including the state government, the federal government, development partners, and the private sector.”

While reaffirming Governor Bala Mohammed administration’s commitment to the advancement of the health sector, the Deputy Governor assured that the administration remains steadfast in its commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Bauchi State for the well-being of every citizen of our state. 

The deputy appreciated the governor, senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir for his unwavering support for the State Task Force on Primary Healthcare which is a reflection of his belief that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right and a key pillar of human development and promised that the task force will strengthen its efforts to mobilize resources and collaborate with partners to ensure that state’s healthcare system is adequately funded and well-equipped to meet the needs of the people.

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“We must explore innovative financing models that go beyond the traditional approaches, incorporating public-private partnerships, donor funding, and community-based financing initiatives, we must also ensure that we continue to strengthen the capacity of our healthcare workforce. Our health workers are the backbone of the system, and we must invest in their training, welfare, and retention for improved healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that every health facility, no matter how remote, is equipped to provide essential services to the people.

“At this juncture, I am happy to see some progress recorded in the 2023 NDHIS Survey where our state has moved from 31% to 58% in Penta 3 coverage, ranked best second to Adamawa State in the country, though, a marginal progress was recorded in some of the indicators such as maternal and child health. 

“While in the aspect of nutrition, together we need more commitment and support so as to improve health services in all levels of care. I, therefore, urge all stakeholders to work closely during this retreat, to devise result oriented strategies to ensure improvement of the overall health indicators of the State.”

Auwal Jatau therefore appreciated the Federal Government through its various Health Agencies and all the health development partners for the technical and financial supports accorded to Bauchi state and reiterated that the state will continue to work relentlessly towards enhancing the financing and delivery of primary healthcare services.

On his part, the co-chair of the Bauchi State Task Force on Primary Healthcare who is the Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman observed that the financing of primary healthcare remains a major issue, and therefore assured of the support of traditional institutions in assisting the state government to tackle challenges associated with achieving universal healthcare coverage.