Aminu Alkali, the Taraba Deputy Governor and chairman, Task Force on Primary Health Care, on Saturday, has stated that government will do everything possible to sustain the gains the UNICEF/GAVI health support project has brought to the state.

Alkali spoke at a one-day retreat with Taraba State government officials, policymakers, and LGA chairmen on the ownership and sustainability of PHC-MoU implementation in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

According to him, “The administration of Governor Agbu Kefas, appreciates the intervention of UNICEF/GAVI in funding and technical support to the state Primary Health Care Development Agency and we are determined to sustain the gains of the project as the MoU come to a close.

“Health care delivery is at the heart of our moving forward agenda and that is why the government is investing heavily in the area of health care. We inherited this MoU and we are determined to sustain the implementation,” he said.

Also speaking, Dr Tukura Nyigwa, the Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Primary Health care Development Agency, said poor release of funds to the agency was responsible for the ineffective functioning of primary health care centres in the state.

Nyigwa revealed that PHCs in Taraba were facing significant challenges due to the non-payment of counterpart funds, adding that despite GAVI providing the necessary funding, the Taraba government has not met its commitments, including the engagement of 450 health workers.

“GAVI has engaged 300 workers and as the MoU comes to an end, the Taraba State government needs to absorb them to ensure sustainability.”

“We need a stand-alone office accommodation for the agency and I want to appeal to the Governor to urgently construct suitable office accommodation to attract more funding from our partners to the agency,” Nyigwa added.