Group Commends Jigawa Over Reduction of Maternal, Child Morbidity and Mortality.
By: Ahmed Aminu, Dutse
The Jigawa State Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Accountability Forum (JiMAF), has commended governor Malam Umar Namadi for assenting to the revised Jigawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (JSPHCDA) and Jigawa State Contributory Health Management Agency (JICHMA) Laws.
The forum made the commendation during a dinner meeting held to celebrate the assent of the revised laws.
The meeting was also to sensitize civil societies on the amendments and devise strategies to ensure the implementation of the laws.
The meeting, held at Tahir Guest Palace, Dutse was supported by PERL-ECP.
Speaking at the meeting, JiMAF Programme Manager commended the governor Malam Umar Namadi and the members of the Jigawa State Assembly for working in harmony to speed up progress on the social and economical development of the state.
According to him, JiMAF is a conglomeration of different Civil Society Organizations, Media and Government representatives working to facilitate the reduction of maternal and child morbidity and mortality in the state to the barest minimum.
“The Organizations is using this medium to appreciate the State Government for the passage of the revised Jigawa State Primary Health care development Agency (JSPHCDA) and that of Jigawa State Contributory Health Management Agency (JICHMA) bill into Law. We believe this will strengthen the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) and promote equitable distribution of human resource for health, ensure health equity, access for poor and vulnerable, achieving Universal Health Coverage and improve health outcomes”.
He noted that the JiMAF with support from PERL-ECP appreciate the good working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government in Jigawa state.
He also commended the good synergy between the state government and development partners working in the state.
“This made us to celebrate the passage the law, as well as sensitize the civil societies on the amendments and come up with strategies that will complement the implementation of the amended and additional provisions of the laws”.
In his address, the Commissioner of Health, Dr Abdullahi Kainuwa, expressed appreciation to JiMAF, PERL-ECP and other organizations for recognizing and supporting the state government efforts in healthcare delivery.
Dr Abdullahi Kainuwa explained that an effective healthcare delivery system for all at all levels is one of the governor’s 12 point agenda, adding that the government would do everything within it’s power to achieve the set goals.
“In that regard, the state government has employed about 1200 medical personnel including over 100 doctors. And presently governor Malam Umar Namadi has given another approval for recruiting another 1,500 J-health workers all in efforts to provide adequate and qualified medical personnel at all the health facilities across the state,” he said.
According to him, the government has also embarked on the wall fencing, renovations and upgrading of some medical facilities across the state to conveniently accommodate the state’s social insurance cover project which under it would provide free healthcare services to over 140,000 vulnerable across the 287 political wards in the state.
“So far, government has completed the work in seven hospitals, 30 are ongoing and the work in 30 more hospitals is about be awarded”.
“I’m happy to inform you that the state government has set aside the sum of N2 billion for social insurance cover equality funds. One billion Naira for formal and one billion for informal sectors,” the commissioner added.
