Global philanthropist and chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Bill Gates, Thursday, commended Gombe state for its trailblazing health sector reforms, describing the state’s approach as inspiring, innovative and results-driven.
In a personal letter addressed to the state government through the executive secretary of the Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency and the chief executive of Human Capital Managers Nigeria Limited, Gates expressed admiration for the state’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery.
“I was impressed by Gombe’s problem-solving mindset and commitment to achieving results,” Gates wrote, referencing a recent high-level engagement with state officials in Abuja.
He noted that Gombe’s emphasis on stakeholder engagement and strategic governance had been pivotal in shaping its success story, adding that the reforms demonstrated how visionary leadership could translate into measurable progress.
A major highlight of Gates’ commendation was the Human Resource for Health (HRH) biometric attendance platform,an indigenous digital solution designed to strengthen accountability by tracking health workers’ attendance and ensuring better resource allocation.
“The HRH biometric attendance platform is a compelling example of a state-led initiative to improve data availability for decision-making and optimise resources,” Bill Gates said, applauding the state for leveraging technology to boost efficiency.
He further praised the Gombe delegation for their detailed demonstration of the system, adding that such innovations showed the potential of locally driven solutions to advance universal health coverage.