The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have announced that Borno State was awarded $700,000, as the overall champion in the inaugural Primary Health Care Leadership Awards.
The development was contained in a statement issued on Thursday, May 18, 2023.
According to the statement, the Awards honour strong leadership and commitment of Governors who had made significant investments in Primary Health Care (PHC). These investments have been instrumental in transforming the lives of women, girls, and children across Nigeria.
It said, the best-performing state in the country, Borno, will receive $700,000, a testament to the transformative power of its effective leadership and strategic investment in Primary Health Care (PHC).
The statement explained that the zonal prizes would go to Kwara for North central, Jigawa for Northwest, Borno for Northeast, Ebonyi for Southeast, Rivers for South – South, and Ondo for Southwest. The first runners up in these zones were Bauchi, FCT, Zamfara, Abia, Edo, and Ogun. Each zone’s winner will be awarded $500,000, and the first runners-up in each zone will receive $400,000.
Representative of UNICEF Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, lauded the states’ commitment to improving Primary Health Care adding that this brought about significant and positive impact on the lives of its constituents, particularly women, girls, and children:
“The courage, vision, and dedication shown by the leadership in the winning states is truly inspiring. Their commitment to improving Primary Health Care has brought about significant and positive impact on the lives of its constituents, particularly women, girls, and children.
“Borno State’s double victory underscores the power of strategic investment and collaboration in building a healthier future for Nigeria. I congratulate all the winners for their exemplary commitment to Primary Health Care”, she said.
The Director of Nigeria Governor’s Forum added, “This is an important moment to acknowledge the governors’ dedication to Primary Health Care. Their initiatives serve as a testament to the power of collaboration and strategic investment in building a healthier future for Nigeria.”
The PHC Leadership Challenge, which culminated in these awards, was born from a historic gathering in November 2019, hosted in Seattle by philanthropists Bill Gates and Alhaji Aliko Dangote. Organized by NGF, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and UNICEF, with generous support from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), the challenge aimed to enhance governors’ commitment to human capital development and to Primary Health Care, mobilize State resources, promote accountability, and foster innovation for gender-specific health outcomes.
