Borno wins $1.2m in leadership challenge for primary healthcare delivery

Borno has been named the best-performing state in the primary healthcare leadership challenge.

The challenge is a flagship programme to revamp the primary healthcare under one roof (PHCUOR) policy in Nigeria.

The federal government launched the challenge in 2022 in collaboration with the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Aliko Dangote Foundation, and other partners.

The challenge was aimed at enhancing governors’ commitment to primary healthcare, mobilisation of state resources and innovation for gender-specific health outcomes.

Borno was awarded $700,000 as the best-performing state overall and $500,000 for being the best in north-east in the zonal awards category.

Winners from other zones got $500,000 each; they include Kwara for north-central, Jigawa for north-west, Ebonyi for south-east, Rivers for south-south and Ondo for south-west.

Cristian Munduate, a representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, said 13 states were awarded $6.1 million in recognition of the exceptional leadership of the governors and their “significant investments” in primary healthcare.

“These awards highlight the value placed on progress made towards primary health care and will be used by the winning states to further strengthen their existing efforts and initiatives for primary health care,” she said.

“The governors being recognised today have not only excelled but have also become shining examples for others to follow. Their achievements will be celebrated not only through public recognition but also through personnel commendation by distinguished individuals.”