By Mamman Mohammed
Although there was no formal declaration of a state of emergency in the Yobe State health sector, there are overwhelming evidences that Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led administration prioritise healthcare services. The transformation going on since 2019 is empirically visible and laud enough.
The drive and success stories in delivering healthcare at an affordable rate to people have been unprecedented. The fit is attracting local and international attention with accolades and prizes. These are encouragement booster for the state government to actualise its vision in healthcare delivery and transformation.
When Gov. Buni assumed office in 2019, he pledged to establish one functional Primary Healthcare Centre in each of the 178 wards across the state. This is to bring functional and efficient healthcare services closer to the people. He also expects this to reduce the pressure on secondary health institutions.
At the end of his first four-year tenure, Gov. Buni had achieved more than 75 per cent target in this critical sector. Out of 178 proposed Primary Healthcare Centres, the administration had completed work, equipped and inaugurated 139 centres.
Every primary healthcare centre is equipped with a stocked pharmacy, laboratory, labour room, male and female wards and accommodation for the medical personnel in these facilities to ensure 24/7 services to the communities.
The Buni administration also upgraded four general hospitals to specialist hospitals and eight primary healthcare centres to general hospitals. Further, the government provided the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital with state-of-the-art equipment to provide advanced medical services to patients.
It also introduced electronic medical data and information files for patients which can be shared for advanced diagnosis among specialists and consultants across the World without necessarily travelling out of the hospital. The establishment of the State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (CHMA), which provides resources to guarantee the sustainability of medical services to the people is another outstanding development in the sector.
Dr Babagana Tijjani, Executive Secretary of CHMA, said 500,000 people now enjoy services by off-setting their medical expenses.
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According to Babagana, Yobe emerged best-performing state in Northern Nigeria with 100 per cent implementation rate on contributory health scheme. Yobe also won a N30 million prize from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Yobe State CHMA achieved 100 per cent in the health insurance implementation status report across the country. The scorecard assessed four significant parameters that include legislation of mandatory contributory scheme, appropriation and release of equity funds for vulnerable groups and government/employee contribution for formal sector programmes.
In all four indicators, Yobe State significantly attained 100 per cent performance, making the state among the top-performing states. This is contained in the National Health Insurance Authority report to the Nigerian Governors Forum Secretariat.
This success is attributable to the commitment and leadership of Hon Mai Mala Buni in terms of providing policy direction and financial commitment to achieve Universal Health Coverage and increasing healthcare access, especially to the poor and vulnerable.
CHMA boss explained that the agency is currently running four programmes – formal sector with 201,655 beneficiaries, covering 96 per cent of its target; Buni Equity Programme covering 28,871 beneficiaries and 43,997 beneficiaries for the Basic Healthcare provision fund programme while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has 2,500 beneficiaries.
Impressed by the performance, Gov. Buni pledged more support to the agency. With new support, CHMA will have capacity to accommodate more vulnerable persons into the scheme.
“The government will sustain the existing programmes. We will also initiate new ones to ensure accessible, affordable, efficient and productive healthcare delivery,” Buni said.
The state’s performance in health sector also attracted UNICEF, which approved N229 million to enrol an additional 7,000 vulnerable people. This is to complement the Buni equity programme. Similarly, UNICEF pledged to construct a standard ICT Centre for the agency to facilitate efficient service delivery.
In the same vein, Yobe State emerged as the best-performing State in the Programme Assessment for Performance Management and Action, Routine Immunisation Lots Quality Assurance (PAPARILQAS) sampling conducted by National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
The PAPARILQAS is used to measure the performance of Routine Immunization (RI) programming in all 36 states in the country. Yobe emerged as the best state in the survey, followed by Nassarawa and Lagos States.
The Executive Secretary, of Yobe State Primary Healthcare Board (YSPHB), Dr Babagana Kundi Machina, said Gov. Buni’s investments in health sector generally, are yielding desired results. According to him, more Yobe residents now have access to qualitative and affordable health services.
The establishment of the Medical Consumables Management Agency (MCMA) has ensured the availability of drugs and consumables in all state-owned medical institutions. This has ended the out-of-stock syndrome in government hospitals.
Similarly, the government established the Yobe State Emergency Medical Ambulance Services Agency (YSEMASA). This is to provide emergency medical services to victims of road and domestic accidents among others. It is thus promoting emergency first aid medical attention to the people of Yobe State.
To ensure that standard and quality of medical services in both government and private health institutions are not compromised, the Buni administration established the Yobe State Health Facilities Inspection and Monitoring Agency (YSHFIMA). The agency monitors and ensures that the institutions provide standard services to patients.
To boost manpower in health institutions, the state government recruited doctors and pharmacists. The government employed 700 graduates of Shehu Sule College of Nursing and Midwifery, and the College of Health Technology, Nguru. This has provided the needed personnel to run the newly established primary health centres, general hospitals and teaching hospitals.
Remarkably, Yobe State has also emerged as the third most improved state in Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services. This is according to a report by NPHCDA. The state recorded significant improvements in Antenatal Care attendance and Skilled Birth Attendance.
In the last 12 months alone, Yobe State has received some notable awards in healthcare delivery. It received an award for the “Most Improved State in Nigeria in Routine Immunisation”. NPHCDA gabe the awarded.
The state also emerged as best State in Nigeria. This is on implementation of “Primary Health Care Under One Roof Scorecard Fine Assessment” with 97 per cent score.
When former President Muhammadu Buhari visited Yobe in January, he eulogised the governor for his outstanding performance in the healthsector. During the state visit, Buhari commissioned Nigeria’s largest maternity and child healthcare complex at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital.
He specifically commended Buni for the foresight in establishing the complex to combat menace of maternal and infant mortality. The former president said the project could serve the entire states in the North-east. “Congratulations,” Buhari said.
For Gov. Buni, it is still work in progress. During his second term inauguration, he assured that health sector would continue to receive more attention. He said his administration would continue to make medical services most accessible and affordable to people of the state. Buni further promised to make Yobe state a destination of medical tourism in Nigeria.
Mamman is the Director General, Press and Media Affairs to Gov. Buni.
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