The Government of Kano has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) valued at about N1.8billion ($5.7 million) with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Dangote Foundation to boost healthcare delivery in the state over the next five years. Tagged “Health Basket Fund”, the MoU is aimed at strengthening child health and addressing the issue of maternal mortality in the state.

Under the agreement, the two foundations ‎would contribute 40% each to the programme, while the state government would contribute 20%.‎ The governor of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje (photo), said that in the framework of boosting healthcare in the State, his administration recently renovated two abandoned hospitals and supplied them with modern equipment.

Let’s recall that the Kano government and the Bill & Melinda Gates and the Dangote foundations signed in 2012 a MoU similar to the current one. However, the previous agreement aimed at eradicating Polio Mellitus in the State.

Anita Fatunji