The Gombe State Government on Friday said it would spend N2.6 billion on quality healthcare delivery in 2014. Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo stated this while presenting the 2014 budget proposal of N107.4 billion to the State House of Assembly in Gombe. Dankwambo said the state government would continue to reposition the health sector through the provision of the needed infrastructure and services. This is in pursuance of our belief that a healthy population is the best asset that any nation can have, because of its direct link to socio-economic and technological development,” he said.

The governor however said the quality of services rendered in the 484 public health facilities in the state had improved. He listed ongoing projects to include the construction of a Women and Children Hospital at Gombe, and the renovation of the School of Health Technology at Kaltungo. Others are the construction of a new College of Nursing and Midwifery at Dukku and the expansion of the Snake Bite Hospital at Kaltungo,’’ Dankwambo said.

He listed other efforts in the provision of quality services to include the sustenance of the drug revolving scheme, and supply and installation of equipment in the state hospitals. There is also the construction of a kidney dialysis centre at the Specialist Hospital in Gombe, and the supply of high density mattresses to some hospitals across the state,’’ the governor said.

Dankwambo further said the government’s in-service health training scheme had helped in bridging the manpower gap through the sponsorship of medical and health professionals. So far a total of 355 students, studying Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Science, Density Radiography and Physiotherapy Care are on the state government’s pay roll.

Also, we are among the states which implemented 100 per cent the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for health workers in the state,’’ he said.

The governor said numerous intervention efforts in the state had also resulted in recording 80 per cent routine immunisation coverage in 2013. This was achieved because 384 out of the state’s 484 health facilities, which is 81 per cent, are providing immunisation services.

The state has also taken a bold step in establishing the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, in order to attain the MDGs Goals 2 and 3 by 2015,’’ he said. Dankwambo said most of the state’s laboratories had been upgraded to high professional standards, to enhance the quality of diagnostic activities in the state. The governor assured the people of the state that government would continue to provide the needed attention in the provision of accessible and affordable health care services in the state.

 

NAN