The World Bank has urged Gombe communities to ensure effective utilisation of the 169 revitalised health facilities to enhance access to quality healthcare services.
Onoriode Ezire, the Task Team Lead, World Bank Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) project, said this on Saturday during the inauguration of one of the revitalised facilities in Akko community, Akko Local Government Area of the state.
The World Bank, through its IMPACT project in collaboration with the Gombe state government has revitalised and upgraded 103 Primary Healthcare facilities and 66 clinics to “Level 2 Status.”
The project is designed to improve quality and utilisation of immunisation, maternal and child health services, and malaria control, to reduce under-five mortality rates in the state.
Mr Ezire urged the benefiting communities, traditional leaders and stakeholders to ensure maximum use of the facilities towards improving health services at the grassroots.
He said the common dream that no woman would die while giving birth could be achieved with the new facilities provided, hence the need for women, men and other groups to access the facilities.
The World Bank official said effective utilisation of the facilities by members of the communities would guarantee that the investments and resources committed in the upgrade project didn’t go to waste.
“These were done through collaboration effort of the World Bank and Gombe state government to ensure that you have access to quality healthcare,” he said.
“If these facilities are here and you are not accessing them, then it is a disservice to everybody. I challenge our women and men to take advantage of these facilities and access quality healthcare.”
Mr Ezire lauded Governor Inuwa Yahaya for the proactive and results-driven approach towards strengthening primary healthcare delivery via the IMPACT project.
He also hailed the governor’s exceptional leadership in securing the state’s inclusion in the multi-state intervention, in spite of Gombe not being originally listed among the participating states.
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Mr Yahaya, the State Governor, also reiterated commitment to the improvement of health and wellbeing of the people of the state.
Represented by his deputy, Manassah Jatau, the governor said that his administration’s commitment resulted in the consistent increase in funding for healthcare in the state’s budget from 3.5 per cent in 2019 to 15 per cent in 2025, in line with the ‘Abuja Declaration.’
(NAN)