The Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Radda, PhD has reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to collaborate with development partners to improve the health and wellness of residents.
Also, some stakeholders have said current security issues have hindered vaccination in some areas of the state, leading to the emergence of polio variants in hard-to-reach areas.
He stated this on Tuesday when playing host to a high-powered delegation of development partners led by the Deputy Incident Manager of the National Polio Emergency Operation Centre, Dr. Audu Musa at General Muhammadu Buhari House, Katsina.
During the meeting, Governor Radda expressed appreciation for the launch of an accountability framework in the state’s health sector, noting that the framework would ensure all critical stakeholders meet expectations for improved service delivery.
The Governor also indicated that the state government would consider implementing similar frameworks in other sectors to enhance overall performance.
Addressing the planned upgrade of the state’s emergency operation centre, recently approved by the Bill and Melinda Foundation, Radda promised to make necessary budgetary provisions for its full utilisation.
“This centre, set to operate 24 hours a day, will respond to all emergency health-related cases, significantly improving healthcare accessibility for Katsina residents”, Radda said.
The Governor, while concerned about the increasing number of Circulating Variant Polio viruses in the state, directed the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Agency to collaborate with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other relevant security agencies to vaccinate every eligible child in the state.
On his part, the leader of the delegation, Dr Audu Musa, highlighted ongoing challenges, including the emergence of polio variants in some hard-to-reach areas due to current security issues.
He stressed the need for the government to tackle the issue of malnutrition and low routine immunisation coverage.
Dr. Musa further said, “I commend you, Governor Radda for your efforts in repositioning the state’s health sector.”
During their two-day working visit, the visiting team engaged with various stakeholders, including the First Lady of the State, Hajia Zulaihat Dikko Umaru Radda, local council chairmen, traditional rulers, and community members, on how to improve the health care of the people.
Dr. Shamsuddeen Yahya, Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, noted “that these interactions provided valuable insights into areas where support is needed to improve immunization coverage and other healthcare-related issues.
Also speaking, representatives from international donor agencies, including Dr. Sam Okiro from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, expressed appreciation for Governor Radda’s commitment to addressing security challenges, acknowledging the critical role of security in their operations within the state.