Sokoto state has recorded a significant leap in the routine Immunisation coverage from three per cent to 59 per cent, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Inname has disclosed.
Inname stated this Monday at the opening session of the Sokoto state Council on Health meeting with theme ‘Community Engagement as a tool for achieving universal health coverage.’
He said: “We had single digit of 3 per cent but in the first quarter of 2019, we moved to 59 per cent. This important leap is the hard work of all stakeholders in the sector.”
He disclosed: “Last week we received commendation letter from the National Healthcare Development Agency on the significant improvement in routine immunization.”
Inname however challenged the stakeholders to work harder to achieve the 80 percent coverage target.
The commissioner noted: “The whole world now is focusing more aggressively towards achieving universal health coverage as a tool to achieve health for all.”
He added: “Government of Sokoto ably led by Governor Aminu Tambuwal has taken steps in establishing contributory health scheme as a tool to achieve universal health coverage for all residents of Sokoto
state.”
On the state council on health meeting, Inname said the last one was held 10 years ago.
He described this year’s meeting as a landmark achievement of the Tambuwal-led administration.
“It is the resolution of the National Council on Health that all states should have at least one state council on health meeting preceding the National Council on Health meeting to review the challenges in the states.”
According to him, the Council on Health meeting would discuss policies and challenges bedeviling the health sector and come out with resolution that would improve healthcare services in the state.
It would play a vital role in delivering quality healthcare services to the people of Sokoto state, he stated.
Representative of World Health Organisation, (WHO) Dr. Mayana Sanusi said: “For some reasons, the state could not hold the meeting in the last 10 years but with the support of the European Union, through World Health Organisation, we find it very important to support the state so that they deliberate on key challenges in primary health care, secondary and tertiary heath care services.”
He identified challenges at each level of healthcare service. “There are some challenges with equipment, human resources, community engagement. These are some of issues that that the council would
deliberate on to improve healthcare services in the state.”
Earlier, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Pharmacist Al-Mustapha Othman assured that Sokoto state would continue to abide by the resolution of the National Council on Health meeting by conducting state council on health meeting every year.
This, he added, would ensure quality healthcare delivery.
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