PRESS RELEASE

Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to continue to build relationships, partnerships and collaboration with corporate entities, groups and associations for delivery of quality healthcare to people of Kebbi State.

The governor gave the assurance when a delegation from Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Company lead by the Company”s Country Manager, Gabriel Ogunyemi paid him a courtesy visit in Government House Birnin to express the willingness of the phamaceutical firm to collaborate with the state in a number of areas.

The governor expressed happiness that the collaboration between the state and the phamaceutical firm would benefit the state especially in capacity building of health personnel in cognisance of its status as a global firm.

He said ‘”Opportunity to interact with global players is one we take seriously , i urged the Commissioner of Health and our team to make the best use of the interaction”. He announced that he would be anxiously waiting for the conclusion of the agreement so that he could sign it .

He remarked that his wife, Dr.Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu because of her status as a medical doctor was very determined and keen in seeing that the poor health indices of the state has been reversed through collaborative effort.

He also said pointed out that the state was doing its best to change the narrative by collaborating with national and international organizations, NGOs, Health firms and have carried out a number of medical outreaches through collaborations to achieve better health outcomes for people of the state.

On mental health, while commending the effort of his predecessor, the former governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Said Dakingari for setting up a robust team comprising medical personnel to confine and treat mentally retarded people, he said his government was also making sure that such people were off the street and treated .

Earlier, Barrister Schola Gbasha , a consultant for Kebbi State explained that the talks on collaboration with Johnson and Johnson started back in November in Lagos leading to another meeting in Kebbi with the health officials of the state which finally resulted in doing needs assessment to see areas of collaboration to benefit people of Kebbi State.

According to her, 4 hospitals have been inspected to explore areas of priority which also included how the state could be assisted in HIV/ Aids management and control .

Ikechukwu, gave an overview of the company saying that Johnson and Johnson is a biggest healthcare company in the world, a company that has diversified into different sectors such as medical devices, consumer health care products and phamaceuticals.

He explained further that the healthcare conglomerate also do health system strengthing to ensure that countries and states do better in different areas such as in basic hospital practices, training of doctors, ,nurses and imparting surgical skills.

Ajibola Abdulkadir, the company”s Manager, Medical Devices Bussiness in Nigeria and Ghana said the company has alot to offer to the state especially hernia surgery to patients.

Other areas he said the company specialises on which the state could benefit include devices use for surgery, devices for strelisation , orthopedic machines and a range of other services,implants and devices which are affordable and could be easily procured in the country not necessarily going outside the country.

He said over 100 health surgeons have been trained to be able to do the procedures and expressed willingness to collaborate with the state improve maternal and women health as well on proper inventory management.

She also added that beyond capacity building, the company was also interested in building the health system of the state.

On his part, the country Manager of the company, Gabriel Ogunyemi expressed delight over the collaboration with Kebbi State.

He explained that Johnson and Johnson company is one of the biggest pharmaceutical company in the world that can provide medicine on mental health.

He said the company had deployed alot of resources in training nurses on mental health, even patients in order to raise awareness so that stigmatization can be reduced alot.

He announced that already the company was in a process of collaborating with the state to come up with a material to educate people in their local dialect so that people at the interior can understand it well.

The company also empower, doctors, nurses and the caregivers and also the patients.

Mr.Ogunyomi commended the state government for doing alot in supporting mental health patients with free medication which according to him make them stable and controlled. “” I have not seen mental people on the streets in Kebbi, I must commend the government on that “”, he said.

Another area where the company he said can assist the state was in capacity building even at the grassroots level as well as on prevention of prostate cancer for men.

He concluded by saying ” We take pride in seeing large number of people have access to health care “”.

Signed :
YAHYA SARKI
SA Media to Kebbi State Governor
4/3/2020.