The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Jigawa State, Nigeria, in strengthening its primary healthcare system and ensuring improved access to essential health services for children, mothers, and youth.
Speaking at the handover ceremony of the GAVI-PHC MoU project to the Jigawa State Government in Dutse, Dr Shyam Sharan-Pathak, UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of Health, praised the progress achieved through the initiative. He emphasised that UNICEF would continue to scale up routine immunisation and other critical primary healthcare (PHC) services across the state.
Dr Sharan-Pathak commended the Jigawa government for allocating N879.25 million to healthcare, representing 15.6% of the state’s budget. He also appreciated GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, for supporting PHC expansion, enhancing immunisation coverage, and improving healthcare service delivery.
Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi, represented by Deputy Governor Aminu Usman, expressed gratitude to UNICEF and its partners for their contributions to the health sector. He highlighted the administration’s commitment to revitalising primary healthcare, including funding a special health insurance scheme covering 143,500 beneficiaries across 27 local governments.
Dr Muhammed Kainuwa, Jigawa State’s Commissioner for Health, outlined major successes achieved through the three-year GAVI/State-funded partnership, including 70% (416,250) adolescent girls vaccinated against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), expanded vaccine storage capacity to enhance immunisation efforts, and increased public awareness and support, thanks to traditional rulers’ advocacy
