Yobe receives $29m grant, promises Improved healthcare

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Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe state has assured that his administration would continue to do more to improve the health sector and make quality and affordable care available to the people.

The governor spoke on Friday when he was presented with a cheque of $29 million by the Commissioner for Health, Dr

Muhammad Bello Kawuwa, being a grant by the federal government to advance work on project, ‘Saving One Million Lives’.

Dr Kawuwa explained that the cheque was originally presented to the Deputy Governor, Engr Abubakar Ali, by the Minister of National Planning, Udo Udoma, in a ceremony in Abuja last week as reward to the state for its excellent performance in the project.

 While tendering the cheque, Dr Kawuwa explained that, “Way back in 2016, the federal government secured a N500 million loan from the World Bank and advanced the money to the 36 states as grant.  The FG identified six key health indicators that are deliverable and made them the disbursement link to the states.  

“At the end of 2016, all the states got a take-off grant of $1.5

million dollars each. We developed a work plan which the Federal Ministry of Health and partners as well as Yobe State Government approved. That seed money was used to develop those six indicators that were identified. All of them revolved around maternal and child health. 

“After one year, those six indicators were assessed. Following the assessment, Yobe State got additional $7.5 million to carry on with implementation and this is the current work plan being implemented right now,” he said.

Gaidam, expressed appreciation to the health commissioner and his team while also calling for more efforts.

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