By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi
In its effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality rate and improve accessibility and affordability of effective health care service to the people, the Bauchi State Government has solicited the continuous support of developed countries and international development partners.
The State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar made this remark while receiving some critical equipment needed for the training and full accreditation of the State College of Nursing and Midwifery presented by the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Perry J. Calderwood.
He noted that no health system can function well without an effective and competent workforce, as the era of governments providing everything to the people is over, attributable to the dwindling income accruable to governments.
Abubakar therefore emphasized the need for all hands to be on deck towards achieving desired goals, saying “Government still requires the collaborative efforts of well-meaning friends and partners to function”.
“These efforts to promote the health agenda of the state are being supported by the people and government of Canada through the Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the agency that is spearheading the consolidation of the gains of CIDA and DFATD” he said.
According to him, the state government has worked out programmes that would improve health sector, first by allocating 16 percent of the 2016 budgetary allocation while addressing the numerous challenges facing the health sector.
“My administration has galvanized action through the ‘Five Point Health Agenda’ and for the first time in the history of the state, the health sector has been strengthened with budgetary allocation of 16% of the total State 2016 budget” Governor Abubakar said.
He lamented that the challenges his administration inherited are so numerous that supporting the health agenda has become not only mandatory but also requires new vision with more resources and focus and direction for the state to achieve its development goals.
Governor Mohammed Abubakar explained that the state government established the Bauchi State College of Nursing and Midwifery as a measure to address shortage of Nurses and Midwives in the State.
“This administration is committed to the training of frontline health workers especially community midwives that will work in their respective communities upon graduation which informs the government’s decision in offering automatic employment to students of state origin in health-related courses while on training with a view to reducing the present workload on health workers in public health institutions in the state”.
Abubakar assured that his administration is fully committed to the implementation of its 5 point health agenda, ‘Lafiya Garkuwa’ and the renovation of the structures in the College of Nursing and Midwifery so that intake of students to train as nurses midwives and community midwives commences this year.
He directed the contractor handling the construction of classroom blocks and students’ hostels at the college to return to site and hasten the completion of the project, saying government will give all the necessary support needed for the completion of the project as contained in the contractual agreement.
