Katsina Launches Annual Awards for Excellence to Strengthen Health Systems

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna 

The Vice Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Katsina State chapter, Rabo Tambaya, has unveiled plans to introduce an annual Award of Excellence aimed at recognizing and motivating stakeholders in the fight against critical health challenges across the state.

Tambaya made the announcement during a two-day training workshop organized by the Katsina State Primary Healthcare Agency in partnership with UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Gates Foundation, Gavi, and other development partners in Kaduna on Saturday.

He said the awards will focus on five key areas such as polio eradication campaigns, nutrition, antenatal care (ANC), open defecation eradication, and zero-dose vaccination.

“We are going to institute an award of excellence to motivate all stakeholders,” Tambaya stated, noting that the Emirs of Katsina and Daura Award of Excellence will honor the best-performing district and village heads. 

Other categories will include the Governor’s Award and the LGA Chairman’s Award, which will recognize outstanding local government chairmen and health secretaries. Clergy and other community partners will also be acknowledged for their efforts.

Tambaya pledged a personal donation of ₦1 million for the best-performing local government council, assuring that the selection process would be transparent. 

According to him, the initiative is designed to “encourage stakeholders to redouble their efforts in addressing health challenges and ensure the achievement of sustainable development goals.”

Speaking on the outcomes of the workshop, Dr. Shamsudeen Yahaya, Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Primary Healthcare Agency, highlighted the active participation of local government chairmen, district heads, and health secretaries in developing actionable work plans. 

“They know the terrain more than anyone of us, and based on that, they came up with useful recommendations which they themselves are going to implement,” he said, stressing that community participation is at the heart of primary health care.

Dr. Yahaya noted that participants resolved to strengthen routine immunization, reactivate local government task forces on immunization, and provide regular counterpart funding during campaigns. 

District heads, he added, also pledged to work with stakeholders to address non-compliance issues in their communities.

UNICEF’s Chief of Polio Team in Nigeria, Dr. Asnakew Tsega, praised the engagement of all stakeholders, emphasizing that Katsina remains a priority area in the polio eradication program. 

“We don’t expect any result unless we properly orient them and ensure they are fully aware of the program,” Dr. Tsega said. 

He called on local government chairmen and traditional leaders to intensify their efforts, noting, “They are already working, but we want them to lead more strongly so that Katsina can be polio-free as soon as possible in the coming months.”