FG to spend N2bn on Gombe health sector

In an effort to improve health care delivery service in Gombe state, the federal government through the World Bank will spend N2 billion in the state.
The technical team leader of the World Bank, Dr. Oluwale Odutola, disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Gombe during in an appraisal tour of health care facilities in some selected local government areas in the state.
He said that the funds were part of the loan granted to the federal government by the World Bank to improve health care services in some selected states in Nigeria, through the Nigeria State Health Investment Project (N-SHIP) a Performance Base Financing (PBF) approach.
Dr. Odutola explained that NSHIP operates through the National and State Primary Health Care Development Agencies in which the selected health care facilities, both public and private, are given free hand to areas needing intervention.
He said that the programme commenced with Gombe local government areas as a pilot scheme 6 months ago, adding that a significant improvement was recorded from 9 to 40 per cent.
“I view of the success achieved in Gombe local government areas three additional local government areas, namely Balanga, Dukku and Yamaltu/Deba were incorporated into the programme.
Also , the National Coordinator of N-SHIP, Hajiya Binta Ismail, called for collective synergy and commitment among stakeholders such as the community leaders, traditional rulers and managers of the health facilities to help reduce the rate of maternal and child mortality.