Yobe Govt, Society For Family Health Train Pharmacists, Others

Yobe State government in collaboration with the Society for Family Health has flagged-off the InteratE 2.0 project initiated to integrate family planning (FP) and primary healthcare (PHC) services expansion in Community Pharmacies (CPs) and Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors (PPMVs) in the state.

The regional programme manager, north east of the project, Mr Johnson Ekele while launching the initiative said a total of 11 states including Yobe State across the country will benefit from the programme from now till September 2026.

Ekele said the project is managed by a six-member consortium led by Society for Family Health (SFH) and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

He said, “The project key stakeholders include the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Yobe State Ministry of Health, Yobe State Primary Health Care Development Board, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria and National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors.

“The project in collaboration with the state ministry of health, State Primary Health Care board and Pharmacy Council of Nigeria will build the capacity of 20 Community Pharmacists and 350 Patent Medicines Vendors in Yobe State on Family Planning and integrated community case management of childhood illnesses (malaria, Pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malnutrition) to strengthen the quality of service delivery at the community level in the state in line with the task shifting and task sharing policy of the Federal Ministry of Health.”

The commissioner for health Dr Mohammed Lawan Gana represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed Jawa said the government remained committed towards ensuring the success of the project for a healthy society.

Gana said the administration of Hon Mai Mala Buni considers the provision of healthcare services among other initiatives as a priority.

The executive secretary of the Yobe State Primary Healthcare Management Board Dr Mohamed Kundi Machina commended the organisers among other stakeholders assuring the readiness of the agency towards ensuring the success of the project.