Rwanda’s Ministry of Health is partnering with two Nigerian northern states of Borno and Gombe to achieve universal health coverage in their respective states through their primary healthcare development agencies
The Rwandan Minister of Health, Dr. Daine Gashunba, said this when a delegation of health experts and members of Additional Financing – Nigeria Health Investment Project (AF-NSHIP) and Project Implementation Unit (PIU) from the two North East states paid her a courtesy visit in her office in Kigali.
The states, especially Borno, which is the epicenter of Boko Haram crisis, had suffered disruption in its health systems, before the Federal Government of Nigeria, in June last year scaled-up the AF-NSHIP and Performance Based-Financing (PBF), a World Bank Assisted Project.
The programme is currently being implemented in some contracted public and private health facilities, aimed at providing quality and quantity of healthcare services to the people who were mostly displaced as a result of the insurgency.
The report by Nigeria’s Independent newspaper on Monday said that the Rwandan Minister, who was represented by the Director General, Planning, Health Financing and Information System in Kigali, Dr. Perfect Uwaliraye, welcomed the delegations and stressed that, Rwanda in recent past, has had a very devastating situation (genocide), but was able to come out stronger and repositioned itself not only in the health sector, but almost all sectors of the economy.
He noted that, if there is a political will and determination of the people in the communities ravaged by insecurity in the northeastern Nigeria, particularly Borno, “there is definitely going to be a light at the end of the tunnel”.
The report quoted the minister as saying that although this was not the first time a delegation from Nigerian state was coming to the Ministry to seek and explore possible ways of strengthening health system through PBF, her ministry was determined to ensure possible areas of collaboration with Borno and Gombe states and Nigeria as a whole to ensure universal healthcare service delivery to the people.
The Executive Director, Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA) Dr. Sule Mele, who spoke on behalf of the delegations (Borno team), appreciated the warm reception it received from the government and people of Rwanda.
The Express News
