Niger Assures On Healthcare Counterpart Funding Obligations

The Niger State government has assured of its commitment to meet all counterpart funding arrangements in healthcare delivery, especially in primary health care.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago gave the assurance while receiving a team of experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office for Africa.

Represented by his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, the governor assured the team that the state would not be found wanting in terms of funding the health sector.

He said the government was committed to especially the primary healthcare, as it is one of the  top priorities of his administration, hence the creation of  the ministry of primary healthcare in the state.

He disclosed that  counterpart funding was not a problem for his government, and  all counterpart funds for various health programmes in the state had been paid.

He directed the permanent secretary in the ministry to verify and forward if there is any health programme which counterpart fund is yet to be paid.

The coordinator of WHO polio eradication initiative, Dr. Jamal Ahmed, who led the team informed the governor that the team was in the state to review the progress made by the state government in stopping the outbreak of variant polio viruses.

He said the viruses had affected not only the state but also Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto, adding that what they had witnessed so far showed that state government had established a very solid structure at state, local government and ward levels which is helping to coordinate to reach every child.