Dangote Foundation in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF and the Kano state government have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, to strengthen healthcare system in the state especially Routine Immunization, RI.
The MOU signed at the Government House, Kano, bringing in UNICEF for the first time as technical partner, is the third addendum to the first and second which started in 2012 and consolidated in 2017.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Foundation, Zouera Yousoufu at the signing ceremony said the extension of the decade long journey to improve maternal and child health in the state would be pivotal in propelling the state towards it developmental objectives.
“The Aliko Dangote Foundation is committed to Kano state and it’s people and the success of the partnership remains a priority,” she said.
She commended the Kano state government for the progress recorded in the addendum II, especially sustaining and funding of RI programmes and increasing RI budget by 22 percent in the last six (6) years, despite challenges.
“We applaud these efforts and encourage the state to continue to improve it’s performance by ensuring the timely release of funds for both RI and Primary Healthcare activities,” said Yousoufu.
According to her, despite successes recorded, the partnership remain far from achieving the set targets on maternal and child health out comes, stressing that there was the need to use lessons learned from previous years to strategize and fast-track progress in order to achieve the health MOU addendum III’s targets, while hampering on the need for accountability.
“One of such area of lmprovement is the need to devolve the programme’s oversight to the lower levels and ensure the LGA health teams are responsible for driving implementation across the wards in their LGA by giving them autonomy and resources they need to deliver within their specific contexts while holding them acountable,” she said.
She urged the state government to prioritize qualitative technical and capacity building of the LGA teams to deliver results, promising that Dangate foundation will support in developing them through collaborations.
The COE appreciated the effort of the traditional leaders in the implementation of health Programmes in the state, urging them to remain tireless in utilizing immunization, nutrition, maternal and reproductive health service opportunities for the people.
Yousoufu expressed the need for the state government to involve political, community leaders, captains of industries, philanthropists and other Community influencers to adopt primary health facilities in their localities.
Kano state Governor Dr. Umar Ganduje said the signing of the health MoU addendum lll is the testimony to the commitment of the state towards improvement of healthcare services in the state.
“The state government will promptly donate it’s counterpart funds for the programme to achieve it’s maximum succes,” he promised.
The Country Director, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Jeremie Zoungrana said the addendum III MOU signing which is a product of the review meeting, was a perfect opportunity to implement new and advanced programmes in the area of RI, promising to contribute the best of its quota, while urging the Kano state to ensure timely release of funds and other resources for the success of the programme.
“With its commitment, technical, capacity and resources at its disposal, i believe Kano State has the potential to do better,” he said
Representative of UNICEF at the event Peter Hawkins said the MOU offers the agency another opportunity to build healthcare facilities in Nigeria, especially at the primary health care level.
“We are happy to be part of making PHC system work in Kano and indeed Nigeria,” he said.
The MOU was signed by all the partners and witnesses including the Emir of Kano Aminu Ado Bayero. The Mou is to consolidate on the gains of previous achievements under the tripartit
