On Tuesday, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and GAVI, the global vaccination alliance, officially handed over a primary healthcare project to the Katsina State government. This initiative, funded by UNICEF, GAVI, and the Katsina State government, aims to enhance the health of mothers and children by strengthening primary healthcare systems and improving routine immunization services, with a total investment of approximately $8.54 million.
During the handover ceremony at the Government House, Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda emphasized that his administration has prioritized the health of its citizens and will continue to support the project’s goals. He stated, “This partnership has strengthened our immunization program, improved the capacity of our healthcare workers, and ensured that hard-to-reach communities receive essential health services. It has also enhanced the functionality of our Primary Healthcare Centres, making healthcare more accessible to our citizens. Our commitment to strengthening Primary Healthcare Centres continues, and we remain dedicated to sustaining the progress made.”
Earlier, Rahama Farah, Head of UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, noted that the partnership had made significant strides over the past three years. The under-5 mortality rate in the state had dropped from 188 per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 105 in 2024, according to the National Demographic Health Survey. Farah also highlighted that vaccination coverage for Penta3 increased by 20 percent, rising from 33.7 percent in 2018 to 53.3 percent in 2023. He commended the efforts of all partners involved in the GAVI/UNICEF/state-funded support Memorandum of Understanding, citing the improvements in health outcomes for mothers, children, pregnant women, adolescent girls, and families in Katsina.
Farah also pointed out that the programme’s successful implementation, despite security challenges, underscored the importance of continued collaboration. “While this is the formal end of the three-year programme, the work is far from finished. The programme aimed to enhance health outcomes for children and mothers by improving PHC systems and routine immunization services. GAVI allocated $7.94 million for the programme, with an additional $597,667 contributed by the state,” Farah explained.
The Katsina State government played a leading role in the programme, with implementation led by the Katsina State Primary Health Care Agency, in collaboration with local government authorities and community leaders. Farah urged the Katsina government to continue investing in health systems to maintain the achievements and improve key indicators such as service delivery, human resources, supply chain management, health information systems, and governance.
“As we celebrate the programme’s achievements, let’s keep pushing until every child is vaccinated, protected against polio, and immunization becomes routine for all,” Farah emphasized. He reiterated UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the state in advancing the well-being of women and children.
The GAVI-UNICEF primary health care MoU programme was officially handed over to the Governor of Katsina State at the ceremony.
