Kano Partners FG, Gates, Dangote Foundations To Tackle Polio, Improve Maternal Health

KANO – Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to eradicating polio and reducing maternal mortality in the state.

Yusuf made the pledge on Wednesday during a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Development, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and representatives from the Gates Foundation and Aliko Dangote Foundation.

A statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, said the Governor represented by Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Faruq Umar Ibrahim disclosed that the partnership becomes pertinent at a period when his administration is committed to improving the health population of Kano.

Governor Yusuf stated that, while the administration celebrates successes recorded within a short period of stay, he is not unaware of the challenges in the healthcare system, including polio and maternal and newborn mortality.

Yusuf vowed to redouble efforts on far-reaching immunization programmes to capture missing children, strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers, and improve supply chain management to achieve overall goals.

He added that his administration has restored counterparts’ funding on routine immunization to cover the zero dose inherited from the immediate past government and sustain investment in the Primary Health Care system.

Earlier, the Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, applauded the state government’s investment in health and expressed readiness to collaborate with development agencies to eradicate poliovirus in Kano state.

Professor Pate hinted that despite the efforts, the resurgence of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus and fake fingermarking of children during immunization in campaigns in Kano is threatening the success recorded in the last 10 years.

He said the state government must ensure the proper selection of a working immunization teams and monitor the work closely while calling for the involvement of traditional leaders and relevant agencies to achieve total eradication.

The minister also indicated the commitment of the Federal government to support Kano with the supply of vaccines and provide emergency transportation and free treatment of emergency cases for pregnant mothers.

In his remark, the President, Global Development of the Gates Foundation Dr. Chris Elias reminded the gathering that the Foundation has signed MoU with Kano state government to help eradicate polio virus and strengthen routine immunization in 2012.

“We are now back to fight the circulating vaccine derived polio virus 10 years after we had recorded the last case of wild polio virus in Kano” said Dr. Chris of Gates Foundation.