Delta State Wins $400,000 Award for Excellence in Primary Health Care
LAGOS/Nigeria: The Delta State Government has been awarded $400,000 by the Primary Health Care (PHC) Leadership Challenge for its outstanding performance in managing primary health care services. The recognition, organized by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, highlights the state’s significant strides in health care delivery under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration.
The award ceremony, held in Abuja, was attended by Nigeria’s Vice President, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, and NGF Chairman, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, who is also the Governor of Kwara State. Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, and Director-General of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Dr. Isaac Akpoveta, received the award on behalf of Governor Oborevwori.
Instituted in 2019, the PHC Leadership Challenge aims to enhance health care delivery at the grassroots by incentivizing performance across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. This marks the first time Delta State has earned such a prestigious accolade, underscoring the effectiveness of Governor Oborevwori’s MORE agenda in advancing health care infrastructure and services.
Dr. Onojaeme hailed the award as a testament to the administration’s commitment to revitalizing the health sector. He attributed the recognition to recent initiatives, including the approval for the renovation of over 150 primary health care centers across the state.
The award followed an evaluation by a technical committee comprising representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank, and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), among others. The committee assessed the performance of PHC systems across the country before determining the winners.
This milestone achievement reflects Delta State’s growing commitment to delivering quality health care services to its residents, particularly at the grassroots level.
