*Donates free drugs to under 5 children

The Bauchi State Government has officially launched a five point health agenda tagged "Lafiya Garkuwa", with a donation of free drugs to children under the age of five to mark its 100 days in office.

The State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, who opened the launching at the government house banquet hall in Bauchi, reiterated the commitment of his administration to promote and strengthen health care services in the state.

Governor Abubakar listed the five point health agenda for the state to include strengthen primary health care and routine immunisation in the state, ensuring access of children and mothers to reproductive health, maternal newborn and child health services, improving funding of health sector, provision of access to quality cost effective life saving drugs and motivating health workers for effective service delivery.

He stated that his administration was considering a bill to establish the Bauchi State health care insurance agency that will improve coverage and access to health services.

Gov Abubakar added that within the first 100 days in office, his administration has approved the payment of 160 million naira counterpart funding of the memorandum of understanding with Bill and Melinda Gates and Dangote foundation for routine immunisation.

Other health achievements according to the governor, include revitalising sustainable plan for midwives and nursing intelligent programmes of SURE-P, sponsorship of 15 staff of school of nursing for further studies overseas, fuelling of generators in general hospitals in the state,  procurement of essential drugs worth 87million naira for the statehealth revolving scheme amongst others.

In his address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Abubakar Usman pledged the commitment of the ministry to support the State Government's health agenda and rid the state of communicable diseases in the state