The Gombe State Ministry of Health on Tuesday commenced its 2026 Joint Annual Review (JAR), bringing together government ministries, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to assess the performance of the state’s health sector and set priorities for the coming year.
The two-day review is expected to examine achievements recorded in the implementation of health programmes, identify gaps and challenges, and develop practical recommendations to improve healthcare delivery across the state.
Declaring the meeting open, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Danladi Adamu Bojude, described the JAR as a critical platform for measuring progress against the state’s health priorities while promoting transparency, accountability and evidence-based planning.
Bojude said, “The Joint Annual Review provides us with an opportunity to measure our progress against our health priorities, identify implementation gaps and agree on practical strategies that will improve healthcare delivery across Gombe State.”
He welcomed representatives of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners, professional bodies, civil society organisations and officials from state MDAs, commending them for their continued support to the state’s health sector.
The commissioner highlighted several achievements recorded under the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, including the revitalisation of more than 100 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state.
According to him, the intervention was aimed at improving access to quality healthcare, particularly for residents in underserved communities.
“More than 100 Primary Healthcare Centres have been revitalised to improve access to quality healthcare for our people, especially those living in underserved communities,” he said.
He added that the Gombe State Specialist Hospital had been renovated and re-equipped, while construction of a modern Mother and Child Hospital was ongoing as part of efforts to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
On healthcare financing, Bajude said the Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Scheme had expanded its coverage to more than 350,000 vulnerable residents.
He said the expansion was helping to reduce the burden of out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare among vulnerable households.
“Through the Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Scheme, we have expanded coverage to more than 350,000 vulnerable residents, thereby helping to reduce the financial burden of accessing healthcare,” the commissioner said.
Bojude also disclosed that routine immunisation coverage had exceeded 85 per cent in several Local Government Areas, while the introduction of a digital health information system had strengthened real-time, data-driven decision-making in the sector.
He, however, acknowledged that challenges remained, particularly in ensuring equitable access to healthcare, strengthening primary healthcare services and improving health outcomes.
The commissioner said the government was planning to upgrade the General Hospitals in Billiri, Deba and Dukku to expand access to specialised healthcare services across the three senatorial districts.
“We are committed to ensuring that every senatorial district has access to specialised healthcare services. That is why we are planning to upgrade the General Hospitals in Billiri, Deba and Dukku,” he said.
He urged participants at the review to provide practical recommendations that would strengthen the implementation of the state’s health priorities.
Bajude also called for stronger collaboration among development partners and government institutions under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).
He urged stakeholders to align their interventions with the state’s “One Plan, One Budget, One Report and One Conversation” agenda to improve coordination and ensure efficient utilisation of resources.
“We must deepen collaboration under the Sector-Wide Approach by aligning our interventions with the state’s ‘One Plan, One Budget, One Report and One Conversation’ agenda. This will help us avoid duplication, improve coordination and ensure that available resources are used efficiently,” he said.
Earlier, the Gombe State SWAp Desk Coordinator and Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr Suraj Abdulkarim, described the JAR as a key component of the state’s Annual Operational Plan.
Abdulkarim said the review provided stakeholders with an opportunity to assess the implementation of health programmes, document successes, analyse challenges and agree on strategies for improving service delivery.
“The Joint Annual Review is an opportunity for all stakeholders to come together, reflect on what we have achieved, identify the challenges we encountered and agree on practical strategies for improving health service delivery,” he said.
He added that the exercise would strengthen coordination among government agencies, development partners, implementing organisations and other stakeholders working in the health sector.
Representatives of development partners, including the World Health Organisation, CHAI, Jhpiego, Abbott and New Incentives, commended the Gombe State Government for creating an enabling environment for the implementation of programmes aimed at improving healthcare delivery.
The partners said continued collaboration between the government and development organisations remained essential to strengthening the state’s health system and achieving better health outcomes.
The two-day review is expected to produce actionable recommendations to guide health sector planning, resource allocation and programme implementation in Gombe State over the next year.
