The Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Yusuf has reiterated the willingness of his ministry to continue with a harmonious working relationship with the Lafiya Programme for the development of the health sector of the state.
Dr. Labaran disclosed this while receiving the National Team of the Lafiya Programme that called on him in his office.
The Commissioner noted with satisfaction that Alhaji Abba Kabir has proven himself to be a health-friendly Governor, who restlessly does all it takes to improve the healthcare system of the state to the optimal level.
He averred that within a few months of the administration, the Governor employed 107 medical doctors as an urgent measure to cushion the effect of manpower shortage in the health sector that has been distributed to various facilities across the state for improved service delivery.
He also said that the Hospitals and Primary Health Care Management Boards have been instructed to look into their human resources and examine the workforce gaps they had, and the number of personnel needed to fill in those gaps for onward submission to His Excellency to seek his approval to recruit more.
Dr. Labaran stated that he was working with the state Statistician General towards having a comprehensive data system of the state, adding that he also advised having a focal person in the ministry who will be generating the required data for the Bureau of Statistics.
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He informed them that the Governor has recently approved the composition of ABBA CARE, a new programme that would enroll 39,000 sickle patients in separate enrollments, to start with 56 patients covering pregnant women, the elderly and other vulnerable.
He singularly thanked the Lafiya Programme for the intervention they offered the state over the years towards standardizing the state health sector to attain the global outlook, assuring them of the continued cordial and harmonious working relationship to achieve the set objectives.
Earlier speaking, the National Team Leader of the Lafiya Programme, Dr. Usman Gwarzo, hinted that they were at the ministry to discuss issues and show commitment related to the partnership they have started with the state government, and solidify their support, especially with the new emerging milestone of the court ruling that stabilized the government.
He emphasized that Kano is one of the key states of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) which funds the Lafiya Programme in the country with Jigawa, Kano and Kaduna as priority states, out of which Kano demonstrates commitment towards strengthening its healthcare system as it is the first state in the country to establish centre for disease control of which they played a significant role to its realization.
Dr. Gwarzo revealed that they have also supported the Kano state government in the areas related to reproductive, maternal and newborn health, health resources for health planning and healthcare financing through the contributory health scheme, maintaining that most activities were done to strengthen primary healthcare through the Primary Healthcare Management Board.
He assured the Commissioner of their commitment to support the state in establishing the Department of Family Health to be able to coordinate all reproductive health activities and as well support the state to widen its net for health security and healthcare financing at the same time which includes recruitment of manpower.
Signed:
Ibrahim Abdullahi
Information Officer
Ministry of Health
24 January 2024
