Sokoto, Bill and Melinda Gates, Dangote Foundations Contribute N494m for PHC

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Tuesday said the State Government, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Dangote Foundation, contributed over N 494 million for the development of the primary healthcare in the state.

Tambuwal disclosed this recently at the opening of the 15th Annual Scientific Conference of the National Association of the Peri-operative Nurses of Nigeria held in Sokoto.

Tambuwal, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Health, Dr. Buhari Kware, said the state government had since released over N148 million,  Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation N173 million, while the N173 million contribution from the Dangote Foundation was being awaited.

“The funds are being pooled under a quadruple agreement signed with the state government, the two Foundations and the Targeted High Impact States( TSHIP) project. The agreement was reached sequel to the recent signing of the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency Bill into law,” he said.

He stated that the gesture was aimed at bringing primary healthcare under the ”same roof” in the state.

According to him, this was meant  to create a basket of funds to be utilized for the improvement of the health sector in the state.

The National President of the Association, Mr. Adeyeni Babatunde,  said the conference would brainstorm on ways of improving the practice of the profession in the operation rooms.
He emphasised that this would help towards increased patients’ satisfaction through quality surgical nursing care.

In a remark, the Sokoto State Chairman of the Assocation, Alhaji Aliyu Atiku. commended the state government for according priority to the health sector.