By Ndidi Chukwu
Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) has commended Bauchi State Government for ensuring full release of its Routine Immunization funds in the State Primary Health Care Development Agency basket fund, before the end of 2016.
This commendation came following the release of pending N41 Million, a 25 per cent of N164 million state funding obligations for Immunization on Monday, as signed in a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between the state government, Bill Gates Foundation and Dangote Foundation, by the state Accountant General, and approved by the Governor Barrister Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar.
Governor Abdullahi Abubakar
In his commendation, CHR’s project Director, Dr. Aminu Magashi, the Civil Society Organization (CSOs) partner implementing the Routine Immunization financing advocacy component of the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) project said the state government, has shown great commitment to health generally first by reaching the 15% Abuja Declaration in Budget allocation for 2016, and one that has successfully implemented its health agenda in 2016
According to Magashi “the state’s commitment to healthcare financing and Immunization, is commendable, this is attributed to CHR/PACFaH unrelenting advocacies and the governor’s openness and willingness to work with development partners to improve its health programs, this
goes to show that in 2017 the Bauchi State government will do better and sustain gains already achieved”
You will recall that on January, 20 2016, Governor Abubakar of Bauchi State, joined the governors of Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Borno, Sokoto and Zamfara states in signing a tripartite agreement which set the stage for coordinated RI program and financing in the six Northern states.
“We are committed to saving lives of our children and to demonstrate such, we have allocated 15% of our total budget to health sector in line with Abuja 2001 declaration and we have also launched a 5-point health agenda tagged ‘Lafiya Garkuwa’ and one of its pillars is to improve coverage of Routine Immunization. Last year we have paid fall our counterpart funding and we will pay 50% of this year’s requirement before end of February.” Governor Abubarkar pledged in January 2016.
