First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Declares Maiden Gombe Health Summit Open, Commends Governor Yahaya’s Reforms

Reported by: Ime Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Henry Owen

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has declared open the maiden Gombe Health Summit, commending Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his bold reforms that have transformed the state’s healthcare system into a national model.

Speaking at the event, Senator Tinubu described Gombe’s health policies as trailblazing, citing the expansion of primary health centres, modernization of hospitals, and innovative responses to child malnutrition. She also praised the Governor’s approval of CONMESS and CONHESS salary structures for health workers, effective November 2025, as a mark of transparent and accountable leadership.

In his keynote address, Governor Inuwa Yahaya recalled the poor state of the health sector in 2019, when only 3.5 percent of the state budget was allocated to health against the Abuja Declaration’s 15 percent recommendation. He said declaring a state of emergency that year set in motion wide-ranging reforms that have since produced measurable results.

According to him, immunization coverage rose from 18 to 49 percent, skilled birth deliveries from 21 to 38 percent, and contraceptive use from 16 to 30 percent between 2018 and 2023. The Governor further highlighted the revitalization of 228 primary healthcare centres, the remodelling of general hospitals, the recruitment of health workers, and the creation of the Gombe State Contributory Health Scheme, which now covers more than 380,000 residents, including over 100,000 vulnerable people.

He also noted institutional reforms such as biometric attendance systems, which uncovered 440 ghost workers and saved the state N4.5 billion. The Governor emphasized that the newly approved health workers’ salary structures, costing about N3 billion annually, represent a direct investment in the sector’s workforce.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, hailed the summit as timely, aligning with national health reforms and praising Gombe’s achievements in reducing maternal and child mortality.

Highlighting the occasion, the First Lady unveiled the Gombe State Health Workforce Strategic Development Plan 2025–2030, underscoring the state’s commitment to sustainable and people-centered healthcare delivery.

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