SUNRISE NEWS, Damaturu, Sept 12, 2020 Bill and Melinda Gates and Dangote Foundations have commended Yobe Government for its commitment to fighting the wild polio virus in the state.
The information is contained in a statement signed by Mamman Mohammed, Director General, Press and Media Affairs to Yobe Governor, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Damaturu.
Mohammed said Mr Bill Gates and Alh. Aliko Dangote gave the commendation in separate remarks via virtual platform at the mid- year review meeting on the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for routine immunisation.
According to Gates, in spite of the challenges the state faces, Yobe government has worked tirelessly in contributing to the polio-free status of Nigeria.
Gates urged Gov. Mai Mala Buni and other stakeholders to sustain the tempo in fighting the virus.
Similarly, the chairman of Dangote Foundation, Alh. Dangote, commended Yobe government for investing in the health sector to improve the health of the citizens.
In his remarks, Gov. Buni pledged the commitment of his administration to improving the health of the people of the state.
“I want to assure you that Yobe government will remain committed to providing effective, affordable and accessible healthcare services to the citizenry.
“We will continue to collaborate with our development partners to promote a healthy population in our state and the country,” he said.
The governor said in spite of substantial decline in revenue which necessitated the downward review of the state’s year 2020 budget by 20.4 per cent, the state had been able to fulfill its counterpart obligation as contained in the MoU for Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC).
He said contract had been awarded for the supply of 60 customised tricycle ambulances that would be used in conveying expectant mothers to health facilities, adding that 28 similar tricycles purchased earlier for same purpose had yielded the desired result.
Buni also assured the commitment of the state government in providing a functional primary healthcare in each of the 178 political wards.
He assured of provision of effective and efficient healthcare services through the newly introduced Contributory Healthcare Scheme.
